VakifBank ISTANBUL and Dinamo KAZAN will be crossing their ways once more on Thursday at Burhan Felek Volleyball Hall in Turkey’s megalopolis for the ‘Match of the Week’ in the second leg of Playoff 12 action as the 2015 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League – Women is reaching its most exciting stages. VakifBank will start their quest for a spot in the Playoffs 6 from the 3:2 away victory they claimed last week in Russia but the game is expected to be as close and tense as the first round played in the capital of Tatarstan.

This match will add another chapter to the rivalry between VakifBank and Dinamo who last year delighted Europe’s Volleyball family in the final act of the Champions League where the Tatars eventually prevailed in three sets. The Turks re-started their campaign this year by cruising to five victories in the six matches they played in Pool E losing only to RC CANNES at home. As for Dinamo KAZAN, they ended up in second place in Pool A whose charts were topped by Poland’s rookies Chemik POLICE who will be hosting this year’s Final Four on April 4-5.

The first match in Russia was a real drama with VakifBank losing the opening set by 24-26 before winning the two that followed by 25-21 and 25-20, respectively. Dinamo did not surrender and claimed a close fourth one by 27-25 before VakifBank imposed their rule in the tie-breaker (15-7). The eventual winners of this double fixture will be playing Turkey’s Fenerbahce Grundig ISTANBUL or Germany’s DRESDNER SC in the Playoffs 6.

“This is some kind of a final match,” says VakifBank head coach Giovanni Guidetti, “since the eventual losers will end their adventure here. Dinamo KAZAN is a world-class opponent and as we got to see in the first match, they have outstanding players and combine excellent defence with massive blocks. We have to win also this return match if we want to make the Playoffs 6. We need the support of our fans for this game and hope that the stands will be packed as this way we will get an extra boost of motivation and strength.”

“We have a little advantage from the first match,” adds VakifBank setter Naz Aydemir Akyol. “However, we have to win also the re-match here in Istanbul. We have to fight bravely and deliver a good performance to achieve this feat. Our only goal is to progress to the Playoffs 6 and I hope we can breathe a great atmosphere on Thursday night and eventually provide our fans with something to cheer about.”