Paola Egonu returns to play against her former team
Paola Egonu returns to play against her former team
Numia Vero Volley Milano goes in the hunt for a hat trick in the CEV Champions League. After the successes with Porto and Calcit Kamik, coach Lavarini’s girls take on the hosts of VakifBank Istanbul in Turkey on Thursday, November 28 at 5:30 p.m. (live DAZN and Sky Sports) in the third day of the first leg of Pool C. Orro and Marinova will not be present at the away match due to physical problems (the resurgence of knee pain for the setter and a sprained ankle for the Bulgarian), while Paola Egonu will be there, ready to face her former team.
For the fourth consecutive time, the two teams will play each other in Europe’s top club competition; the last meeting was last season, also in the fourth round, when Milan scored a clear 3-0 victory in Istanbul, but then suffered a 2-3 defeat at home. Despite this, Milan è managed to win the round, forcing VakıfBank into the play-offs, then eliminated in the quarterfinals by champions Imoco Conegliano. The Turkish outfit, which has won the trophy six times in the past 13 seasons, has a positive record in direct clashes against the meneghine, having won five of the six meetings.
In Turkey, Orro and her teammates will try not only to replicate last year's result, but also to score their third victory in the round (a 3-0 double against Porto and Calcit Kamnik) thus consolidating their position at the top. VakifBank è also came back from two successes in the previous days: 3-1 against the Slovenians and 3-0 against the Portuguese. Among the former of the match for Milan Paola Egonu and Nika Daalderop, teammates in Istanbul in the 2022/23 season.
For this season some movement for the Turkish lineup, which confirms its bench always firmly led by coach Guidetti. The departure of Gabi – who landed in the ranks of Conegliano – saw the arrival in Turkey of Bosetti. Returning home instead were Thompson and Ogbogu. Also joining the team were Chinese player Yuan and from Novara setter Markova. Among the super-confirmed Ozbay, Gunes, Akbay, Frantti and libero Aykac Altintas.
