# 2016–17 CEV Women's Champions League

The CEV Champions League was the highest level of European club volleyball in the 2016–17 season and the 57th edition. The Turkish club VakıfBank Istanbul won its third title and qualified to the 2017 FIVB Club World Championship as European champion, besides being already invited by the FIVB, along with Eczacıbaşı VitrA and Voléro Zürich. The Italian club Imoco Volley Conegliano won the silver medal and Turkish Eczacıbaşı VitrA claimed the bronze medal. The Chinese Zhu Ting from VakıfBank Istanbul was awarded Most Valuable Player. Fourth placed club, Dinamo Moscow later received the last wild card to the Club World Championship by the FIVB.

## Qualification

A total of 16 team participate of the main competition, with 12 teams being allocated direct vacancies on the basis of ranking list for European Cup Competitions and 4 teams qualified from the qualification rounds.
| Rank | Country | No. teams | No. teams | No. teams | Qualified teams |
| Rank | Country | Vac | Qual | Total | Qualified teams |
| 1 | Turkey | 2 | 1 | 3 | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul |
| 1 | Turkey | 2 | 1 | 3 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul |
| 1 | Turkey | 2 | 1 | 3 | VakıfBank Istanbul |
| 2 | Russia | 2 | 1 | 3 | Dinamo Krasnodar |
| 2 | Russia | 2 | 1 | 3 | Dinamo Moscow |
| 2 | Russia | 2 | 1 | 3 | Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg |
| 3 | Poland | 1 | 1 | 2 | Chemik Police |
| 3 | Poland | 1 | 1 | 2 | MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza |
| 4 | Azerbaijan | 2 | - | 2 | Azerrail Baku |
| 4 | Azerbaijan | 2 | - | 2 | Telekom Baku |
| 5 | France | 1 | - | 1 | Saint-Raphaël Var VB |
| 6 | Italy | 1 | 1 | 2 | Imoco Volley Conegliano |
| 6 | Italy | 1 | 1 | 2 | Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena |
| 7 | Germany | 1 | - | 1 | Dresdner SC |
| 8 | Switzerland | 1 | - | 1 | Voléro Zürich |
| 9 | Romania | 1 | - | 1 | CS Volei Alba Blaj |
    1.^ Team qualified via Champions League qualification round.

## Format
### League round

A round-robin format (each team plays every other team in its pool twice, once home and once away) where 16 teams were drawn to 4 pools of 4 teams each. Pool winners and two second place with the best results qualified for the Playoffs. The organizer of the Final Four were determined during the League Round and qualified directly for the Final Four.
The standings is determined by the number of matches won. In case of a tie in the number of matches won by two or more teams, their ranking is based on the following criteria:
* result points (points awarded for results: 3 points for 3–0 or 3–1 wins, 2 points for 3–2 win, 1 point for 2–3 loss);
* set quotient (the number of total sets won divided by the number of total sets lost);
* points quotient (the number of total points scored divided by the number of total points lost);
* results of head-to-head matches between the teams in question.

### Playoffs

A knockout format where the 6 qualified teams are each draw into one of the 3 matches with each match consisting of two legs (home and away). Result points are awarded for each leg (3 points for 3–0 or 3–1 wins, 2 points for 3–2 win, 1 point for 2–3 loss). After two legs, the team with the most result points advances to the Final Four. In case the teams are tied after two legs, a Golden Set is played immediately at the completion of the second leg. The Golden Set winner is the team that first obtains 15 points, provided that the points difference between the two teams is at least 2 points (thus, the Golden Set is similar to a tiebreak set in a normal match).

### Final Four

A single-elimination format where the three winners of the Playoffs are joined by the Final Four hosts and draw to play the semifinals (winners advance to the final and losers to the 3rd place match). In case two teams from the same country qualify for the semifinals, they will play each other.

## Pools composition

* Drawing of lots was held in Rome, Italy on 9 June 2016.
| Pool A | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D |
| Chemik Police | Dinamo Moscow | Azerrail Baku | VakıfBank Istanbul |
| Imoco Volley Conegliano | Voléro Zürich | Saint-Raphaël Var VB | Dresdner SC |
| Telekom Baku | CS Volei Alba Blaj | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg |
| Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena | Dinamo Krasnodar | MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul |

## League round

* All times are local.

### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena | 6 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 17 | 7 | 2.429 | 570 | 510 | 1.118 | Playoff round |
| 2 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 6 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 16 | 10 | 1.600 | 566 | 525 | 1.078 | Hosts of the Final Four |
| 3 | Chemik Police | 6 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 1.000 | 511 | 491 | 1.041 | |
| 4 | Telekom Baku | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 0.111 | 380 | 501 | 0.758 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 14 Dec | 20:30 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 3–0 | Telekom Baku | 31–29 | 25–14 | 25–22 | | | 81–65 | Report |
| 15 Dec | 18:00 | Chemik Police | 1–3 | Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena | 21–25 | 27–29 | 25–21 | 13–25 | | 86–100 | Report |
| 10 Jan | 17:00 | Telekom Baku | 0–3 | Chemik Police | 16–25 | 21–25 | 20–25 | | | 57–75 | Report |
| 12 Jan | 20:30 | Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena | 3–2 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 23–25 | 26–24 | 20–25 | 25–23 | 16–14 | 110–111 | Report |
| 25 Jan | 18:00 | Chemik Police | 2–3 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 18–25 | 25–14 | 25–12 | 14–25 | 11–15 | 93–91 | Report |
| 25 Jan | 20:30 | Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena | 3–0 | Telekom Baku | 25–20 | 25–16 | 26–24 | | | 76–60 | Report |
| 8 Feb | 17:00 | Telekom Baku | 1–3 | Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena | 20–25 | 25–23 | 23–25 | 22–25 | | 90–98 | Report |
| 8 Feb | 20:30 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 2–3 | Chemik Police | 25–23 | 20–25 | 20–25 | 25–20 | 8–15 | 98–108 | Report |
| 21 Feb | 18:00 | Chemik Police | 3–1 | Telekom Baku | 21–25 | 25–16 | 25–13 | 25–16 | | 96–70 | Report |
| 22 Feb | 20:30 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 3–2 | Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena | 26–24 | 19–25 | 22–25 | 25–21 | 18–16 | 110–111 | Report |
| 28 Feb | 17:00 | Telekom Baku | 0–3 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 13–25 | 9–25 | 16–25 | | | 38–75 | Report |
| 28 Feb | 20:30 | Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena | 3–0 | Chemik Police | 25–13 | 25–18 | 25–22 | | | 75–53 | Report |

### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Dinamo Moscow | 6 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 18 | 8 | 2.250 | 592 | 508 | 1.165 | Playoff round |
| 2 | Voléro Zürich | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 7 | 2.286 | 522 | 462 | 1.130 | Playoff round |
| 3 | Dinamo Krasnodar | 6 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 0.375 | 436 | 521 | 0.837 | |
| 4 | CS Volei Alba Blaj | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 0.400 | 431 | 490 | 0.880 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 13 Dec | 19:00 | Dinamo Krasnodar | 1–3 | Voléro Zürich | 15–25 | 21–25 | 27–25 | 18–25 | | 81–100 | Report |
| 14 Dec | 19:00 | Dinamo Moscow | 3–1 | CS Volei Alba Blaj | 23–25 | 25–19 | 25–21 | 25–14 | | 98–79 | Report |
| 11 Jan | 18:00 | CS Volei Alba Blaj | 1–3 | Dinamo Krasnodar | 23–25 | 25–16 | 19–25 | 22–25 | | 89–91 | Report |
| 12 Jan | 20:00 | Voléro Zürich | 2–3 | Dinamo Moscow | 17–25 | 25–20 | 25–22 | 18–25 | 11–15 | 96–107 | Report |
| 25 Jan | 18:00 | CS Volei Alba Blaj | 0–3 | Voléro Zürich | 21–25 | 15–25 | 16–25 | | | 52–75 | Report |
| 25 Jan | 19:00 | Dinamo Moscow | 3–2 | Dinamo Krasnodar | 25–11 | 21–25 | 19–25 | 25–11 | 15–10 | 105–82 | Report |
| 7 Feb | 19:00 | Dinamo Krasnodar | 0–3 | Dinamo Moscow | 19–25 | 22–25 | 25–27 | | | 66–77 | Report |
| 9 Feb | 20:00 | Voléro Zürich | 3–0 | CS Volei Alba Blaj | 25–17 | 25–18 | 25–17 | | | 75–52 | Report |
| 21 Feb | 19:00 | Dinamo Krasnodar | 0–3 | CS Volei Alba Blaj | 18–25 | 18–25 | 17–25 | | | 53–75 | Report |
| 22 Feb | 19:00 | Dinamo Moscow | 3–2 | Voléro Zürich | 25–19 | 22–25 | 20–25 | 25–20 | 15–12 | 107–101 | Report |
| 28 Feb | 18:00 | CS Volei Alba Blaj | 1–3 | Dinamo Moscow | 21–25 | 25–23 | 16–25 | 22–25 | | 84–98 | Report |
| 28 Feb | 20:00 | Voléro Zürich | 3–0 | Dinamo Krasnodar | 25–18 | 25–23 | 25–22 | | | 75–63 | Report |

### Pool C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 6 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 18 | 1 | 18.000 | 475 | 368 | 1.291 | Playoff round |
| 2 | Azerrail Baku | 6 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 1.200 | 458 | 474 | 0.966 | |
| 3 | MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza | 6 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 0.769 | 510 | 497 | 1.026 | |
| 4 | Saint-Raphaël Var VB | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 0.111 | 386 | 490 | 0.788 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 15 Dec | 18:00 | Azerrail Baku | 3–1 | MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza | 25–21 | 15–25 | 25–22 | 28–26 | | 93–94 | Report |
| 15 Dec | 20:30 | Saint-Raphaël Var VB | 0–3 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 23–25 | 21–25 | 19–25 | | | 63–75 | Report |
| 10 Jan | 20:30 | Saint-Raphaël Var VB | 1–3 | MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza | 18–25 | 15–25 | 25–20 | 22–25 | | 80–95 | Report |
| 11 Jan | 19:00 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 3–0 | Azerrail Baku | 25–12 | 25–19 | 25–9 | | | 75–40 | Report |
| 25 Jan | 20:30 | MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza | 1–3 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 23–25 | 19–25 | 25–22 | 14–25 | | 81–97 | Report |
| 25 Jan | 20:30 | Saint-Raphaël Var VB | 1–3 | Azerrail Baku | 16–25 | 21–25 | 25–18 | 20–25 | | 82–93 | Report |
| 8 Feb | 19:30 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 3–0 | MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza | 25–15 | 25–20 | 26–24 | | | 76–59 | Report |
| 9 Feb | 18:00 | Azerrail Baku | 3–0 | Saint-Raphaël Var VB | 25–20 | 25–11 | 25–11 | | | 75–42 | Report |
| 22 Feb | 18:00 | MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza | 3–0 | Saint-Raphaël Var VB | 25–19 | 25–17 | 25–15 | | | 75–51 | Report |
| 23 Feb | 18:00 | Azerrail Baku | 0–3 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 19–25 | 16–25 | 22–25 | | | 57–75 | Report |
| 28 Feb | 18:00 | MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza | 2–3 | Azerrail Baku | 24–26 | 25–16 | 22–25 | 25–18 | 10–15 | 106–100 | Report |
| 28 Feb | 19:30 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 3–0 | Saint-Raphaël Var VB | 27–25 | 25–22 | 25–21 | | | 77–68 | Report |

### Pool D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 6 | 6 | 0 | 17 | 18 | 5 | 3.600 | 545 | 415 | 1.313 | Playoff round |
| 2 | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 6 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 8 | 1.875 | 524 | 473 | 1.108 | Playoff round |
| 3 | Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 0.438 | 477 | 544 | 0.877 | |
| 4 | Dresdner SC | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 0.313 | 382 | 496 | 0.770 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 14 Dec | 19:00 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3–1 | Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg | 18–25 | 25–20 | 25–16 | 25–13 | | 93–74 | Report |
| 14 Dec | 19:00 | Dresdner SC | 0–3 | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 17–25 | 11–25 | 21–25 | | | 49–75 | Report |
| 10 Jan | 17:00 | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 2–3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 21–25 | 21–25 | 25–21 | 25–20 | 10–15 | 102–106 | Report |
| 10 Jan | 19:00 | Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg | 3–1 | Dresdner SC | 16–25 | 25–17 | 25–20 | 25–16 | | 91–78 | Report |
| 24 Jan | 19:00 | Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg | 0–3 | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 11–25 | 24–26 | 24–26 | | | 59–77 | Report |
| 25 Jan | 19:00 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3–0 | Dresdner SC | 25–12 | 25–16 | 25–11 | | | 75–39 | Report |
| 8 Feb | 16:30 | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 3–1 | Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg | 25–16 | 26–24 | 25–27 | 25–16 | | 101–83 | Report |
| 8 Feb | 19:00 | Dresdner SC | 0–3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 18–25 | 11–25 | 12–25 | | | 41–75 | Report |
| 22 Feb | 19:00 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3–1 | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 25–21 | 25–14 | 21–25 | 25–15 | | 96–75 | Report |
| 22 Feb | 19:00 | Dresdner SC | 3–1 | Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg | 25–22 | 25–20 | 20–25 | 25–19 | | 95–86 | Report |
| 28 Feb | 16:30 | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 3–1 | Dresdner SC | 25–15 | 19–25 | 25–22 | 25–18 | | 94–80 | Report |
| 28 Feb | 19:00 | Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg | 1–3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 19–25 | 27–25 | 20–25 | 18–25 | | 84–100 | Report |

## Playoffs

* Drawing of lots was held in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg on 3 March 2017.
* All times are local.

### Playoff 6

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 4–2 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 2–3 | 3–1 |
| Voléro Zürich | 0–6 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 1–3 | 1–3 |
| Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena | 0–6 | Dinamo Moscow | 0–3 | 0–3 |

#### First leg

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 22 Mar | 20:30 | Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena | 0–3 | Dinamo Moscow | 22–25 | 13–25 | 13–25 | | | 48–75 | Report |
| 23 Mar | 18:00 | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 2–3 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 25–16 | 22–25 | 19–25 | 25–21 | 12–15 | 103–102 | Report |
| 23 Mar | 20:00 | Voléro Zürich | 1–3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 25–15 | 20–25 | 17–25 | 21–25 | | 83–90 | Report |

#### Second leg

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Total | Report |
| 4 Apr | 19:00 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 1–3 | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 31–29 | 14–25 | 25–27 | 23–25 | 93–106 | Report |
| 5 Apr | 19:00 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3–1 | Voléro Zürich | 22–25 | 25–21 | 25–16 | 25–22 | 97–84 | Report |
| 5 Apr | 19:00 | Dinamo Moscow | 3–0 | Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena | 25–20 | 25–19 | 25–21 | | 75–60 | Report |

## Final four

* Organizer: Imoco Volley Conegliano
* Venue: PalaVerde, Treviso, Italy
* All times are Central European Summer Time (UTC+02:00).
* In case that two teams from the same country qualify for the semifinals, they will have to play each other.
| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| 22 April | 22 April |
| Dinamo Moscow | 1 |
| Dinamo Moscow | 1 | 23 April | 23 April |
| Imoco Volley Conegliano | 3 | 23 April | 23 April |
| Imoco Volley Conegliano | 3 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 0 |
| 22 April | 22 April | | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 0 |
| 22 April | 22 April | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3 |
| VakıfBank Istanbul | 3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3 |
| Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 0 | | |
| Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 0 | 3rd place match | 3rd place match |
| | | 23 April | 23 April |
| | | Dinamo Moscow | 1 |
| | | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 3 |

### Semifinals

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 22 Apr | 17:00 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3–0 | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 25–20 | 26–24 | 25–22 | | | 76–66 | Report |
| 22 Apr | 20:00 | Dinamo Moscow | 1–3 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 18–25 | 15–25 | 25–15 | 25–27 | | 83–92 | Report |

### 3rd place match

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 23 Apr | 15:00 | Dinamo Moscow | 1–3 | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul | 19–25 | 25–19 | 23–25 | 22–25 | | 89–94 | Report |

### Final

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 23 Apr | 18:00 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 0–3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 19–25 | 13–25 | 23–25 | | | 55–75 | Report |

## Final standing

| Rank | Team |
| | VakıfBank Istanbul (C) |
| | Imoco Volley Conegliano |
| | Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul |
| 4 | Dinamo Moscow |
| 5 | Voléro Zürich |
| 5 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul |
| 5 | Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena |
| 8 | Azerrail Baku |
| 9 | Chemik Police |
| 9 | Dinamo Krasnodar |
| 9 | MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza |
| 9 | Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg |
| 13 | Telekom Baku |
| 13 | CS Volei Alba Blaj |
| 13 | Saint-Raphaël Var VB |
| 13 | Dresdner SC |
| (C) | Qualified for the 2017 FIVB Club World Championship |
* 2016–17 Women's Club European Champions
* VakıfBank Istanbul 3rd title
* Roster for Final Four
* Örge, Kırdar Sonsırma, Özbay, Zhu, Akman Çalışkan, Gürkaynak, ykaç, Slöetjes, Aydemir Akyol, Yurtdagülen, Durul, Hill, Rašić, Çetin
* Head coach
* Guidetti

## Awards

* Most valuable player
    Zhu Ting (VakıfBank Istanbul)
* Best setter
    Naz Aydemir (VakıfBank Istanbul)
* Best outside spikers
    Kelsey Robinson (Imoco Volley Conegliano)
    Kimberly Hill (VakıfBank Istanbul)
* Best middle blockers
    Milena Rasic (VakıfBank Istanbul)
    Rachael Adams (Eczacıbaşı VitrA)
* Best opposite spiker
    Lonneke Sloetjes (VakıfBank Istanbul)
* Best libero
    Monica De Gennaro (Imoco Volley Conegliano)