# 2017–18 CEV Women's Champions League

The CEV Champions League was the highest level of European club volleyball in the 2017–18 season and the 58th edition. The Turkish club VakıfBank Istanbul won its fourth overall and second consecutive title. The Romanian club CSM Volei Alba Blaj won the silver medal and Italian Imoco Volley Conegliano claimed the bronze medal. The Turkish Gözde Kırdar Sonsırma from VakıfBank Istanbul, who will retire, was awarded Most Valuable Player.

## 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. Drawing of lots was held in Moscow, Russia on 17 November 2017.
| Rank | Country | No. teams | No. teams | No. teams | Qualified teams |
| Rank | Country | Vac | Qual | Total | Qualified teams |
| 1 | Turkey | 2 | 1 | 3 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul |
| 1 | Turkey | 2 | 1 | 3 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul |
| 1 | Turkey | 2 | 1 | 3 | Vakıfbank Istanbul |
| 2 | Russia | 2 | - | 2 | Dinamo Kazan |
| 2 | Russia | 2 | - | 2 | Dinamo Moscow |
| 3 | Poland | 2 | 1 | 3 | Chemik Police |
| 3 | Poland | 2 | 1 | 3 | Grot Budowlani Łódź |
| 3 | Poland | 2 | 1 | 3 | Developres SkyRes Rzeszów |
| 6 | Switzerland | 1 | - | 1 | Voléro Zürich |
| 7 | Italy | 1 | 1 | 2 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara |
| 7 | Italy | 1 | 1 | 2 | Imoco Volley Conegliano |
| 8 | France | 1 | - | 1 | ASPTT Mulhouse |
| 9 | Romania | 1 | - | 1 | CSM Volei Alba Blaj |
| 10 | Czech Republic | 1 | - | 1 | Agel Prostějov |
| 11 | Serbia | 1 | - | 1 | Vizura Ruma |
| 28 | Bulgaria | - | 1 | 1 | Maritza Plovdiv |
    1.^ Team qualified via Champions League qualification.

## Format
### League round

A round-robin format (each team plays every other team in its pool twice, once home and once away) where the 16 participating teams are drawn into 4 pools of 4 teams each. The four pool winners and the best two second placed teams among all pools qualify for the Playoffs. The organizer of the Final Four is determined at the conclusion League Round and qualify 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 on 17 November 2017 in Moscow, Russia.
| Pool A | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D |
| Voléro Zürich | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | Chemik Police | Dinamo Moscow |
| ASPTT Mulhouse | Igor Gorgonzola Novara | Dinamo Kazan | Galatasaray SK Istanbul |
| CSM Volei Alba Blaj | Agel Prostějov | Vizura Ruma | Grot Budowlani Łódź |
| Developres SkyRes Rzeszów | Imoco Volley Conegliano | Maritza Plovdiv | VakıfBank Istanbul |

## League round

* All times are local.

### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | CSM Volei Alba Blaj (H) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 8 | 1.875 | 516 | 488 | 1.057 | Final round |
| 2 | Voléro Zürich | 6 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 8 | 1.875 | 531 | 488 | 1.088 | Playoff round |
| 3 | Developres SkyRes Rzeszów | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 0.571 | 463 | 494 | 0.937 | |
| 4 | ASPTT Mulhouse | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 0.529 | 545 | 586 | 0.930 | |
* ↑ Qualified as hosts
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 13 Dec | 18:00 | CSM Volei Alba Blaj | 3–1 | Voléro Zürich | 26–24 | 25–22 | 24–26 | 25–21 | | 100–93 | Report |
| 13 Dec | 18:00 | Developres SkyRes Rzeszów | 3–1 | ASPTT Mulhouse | 25–18 | 20–25 | 25–14 | 25–17 | | 95–74 | Report |
| 11 Jan | 18:00 | Developres SkyRes Rzeszów | 0–3 | CSM Volei Alba Blaj | 19–25 | 25–27 | 17–25 | | | 61–77 | Report |
| 11 Jan | 20:00 | Voléro Zürich | 2–3 | ASPTT Mulhouse | 19–25 | 19–25 | 25–23 | 25–23 | 10–15 | 98–111 | Report |
| 24 Jan | 20:00 | ASPTT Mulhouse | 1–3 | CSM Volei Alba Blaj | 20–25 | 25–20 | 16–25 | 20–25 | | 81–95 | Report |
| 25 Jan | 20:00 | Voléro Zürich | 3–0 | Developres SkyRes Rzeszów | 26–24 | 25–19 | 25–13 | | | 76–56 | Report |
| 7 Feb | 18:00 | CSM Volei Alba Blaj | 3–2 | ASPTT Mulhouse | 15–25 | 25–21 | 20–25 | 28–26 | 15–13 | 103–110 | Report |
| 7 Feb | 18:00 | Developres SkyRes Rzeszów | 1–3 | Voléro Zürich | 16–25 | 25–18 | 22–25 | 22–25 | | 85–93 | Report |
| 21 Feb | 20:00 | ASPTT Mulhouse | 1–3 | Voléro Zürich | 24–26 | 25–20 | 22–25 | 19–25 | | 90–96 | Report |
| 22 Feb | 18:00 | CSM Volei Alba Blaj | 3–1 | Developres SkyRes Rzeszów | 25–16 | 25–16 | 20–25 | 25–12 | | 95–69 | Report |
| 27 Feb | 20:00 | Voléro Zürich | 3–0 | CSM Volei Alba Blaj | 25–22 | 25–15 | 25–9 | | | 75–46 | Report |
| 27 Feb | 20:00 | ASPTT Mulhouse | 1–3 | Developres SkyRes Rzeszów | 23–25 | 14–25 | 25–23 | 17–25 | | 79–98 | Report |

### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara | 6 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 16 | 7 | 2.286 | 528 | 447 | 1.181 | Playoff round |
| 2 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 6 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 1.778 | 564 | 496 | 1.137 | Playoff round |
| 3 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 6 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 0.857 | 540 | 547 | 0.987 | |
| 4 | Agel Prostějov | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 0.222 | 395 | 537 | 0.736 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 12 Dec | 17:30 | Agel Prostějov | 1–3 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 25–20 | 14–25 | 19–25 | 21–25 | | 79–95 | Report |
| 13 Dec | 20:35 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 3–1 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara | 25–13 | 25–18 | 20–25 | 25–14 | | 95–70 | Report |
| 10 Jan | 20:30 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 3–1 | Agel Prostějov | 25–14 | 21–25 | 25–16 | 25–17 | | 96–72 | Report |
| 11 Jan | 19:00 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 2–3 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara | 26–24 | 25–19 | 22–25 | 19–25 | 6–15 | 98–108 | Report |
| 25 Jan | 19:00 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 2–3 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 25–21 | 27–25 | 15–25 | 17–25 | 10–15 | 94–111 | Report |
| 25 Jan | 20:30 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara | 3–1 | Agel Prostějov | 25–12 | 25–13 | 22–25 | 25–14 | | 97–64 | Report |
| 7 Feb | 17:00 | Agel Prostějov | 0–3 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara | 24–26 | 13–25 | 15–25 | | | 52–76 | Report |
| 7 Feb | 20:30 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 3–2 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 20–25 | 18–25 | 25–18 | 25–22 | 15–11 | 103–101 | Report |
| 21 Feb | 17:00 | Agel Prostějov | 0–3 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 21–25 | 21–25 | 15–25 | | | 57–75 | Report |
| 22 Feb | 20:30 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara | 3–0 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 25–23 | 25–18 | 25–13 | | | 75–54 | Report |
| 27 Feb | 17:00 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul | 3–1 | Agel Prostějov | 25–23 | 23–25 | 25–13 | 25–10 | | 98–71 | Report |
| 27 Feb | 20:30 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara | 3–1 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 25–16 | 29–27 | 23–25 | 25–16 | | 102–84 | Report |

### Pool C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Dinamo Kazan | 6 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 18 | 2 | 9.000 | 495 | 367 | 1.349 | Playoff round |
| 2 | Chemik Police | 6 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 1.300 | 502 | 487 | 1.031 | |
| 3 | Vizura Ruma | 6 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 0.615 | 431 | 463 | 0.931 | |
| 4 | Maritza Plovdiv | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 0.222 | 414 | 525 | 0.789 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 12 Dec | 18:00 | Vizura Ruma | 0–3 | Chemik Police | 17–25 | 21–25 | 14–25 | | | 52–75 | Report |
| 13 Dec | 18:30 | Maritza Plovdiv | 0–3 | Dinamo Kazan | 19–25 | 23–25 | 23–25 | | | 65–75 | Report |
| 10 Jan | 18:00 | Chemik Police | 0–3 | Dinamo Kazan | 17–25 | 20–25 | 19–25 | | | 56–75 | Report |
| 11 Jan | 18:30 | Maritza Plovdiv | 1–3 | Vizura Ruma | 17–25 | 25–22 | 17–25 | 13–25 | | 72–97 | Report |
| 24 Jan | 18:00 | Chemik Police | 3–0 | Maritza Plovdiv | 25–16 | 26–24 | 25–12 | | | 76–52 | Report |
| 25 Jan | 19:00 | Dinamo Kazan | 3–0 | Vizura Ruma | 25–18 | 25–23 | 25–11 | | | 75–52 | Report |
| 6 Feb | 20:30 | Vizura Ruma | 0–3 | Dinamo Kazan | 12–25 | 16–25 | 18–25 | | | 46–75 | Report |
| 8 Feb | 18:30 | Maritza Plovdiv | 2–3 | Chemik Police | 19–25 | 25–18 | 25–23 | 20–25 | 11–15 | 100–106 | Report |
| 20 Feb | 20:30 | Vizura Ruma | 3–0 | Maritza Plovdiv | 25–23 | 25–19 | 25–14 | | | 75–56 | Report |
| 21 Feb | 19:00 | Dinamo Kazan | 3–1 | Chemik Police | 24–26 | 25–16 | 25–23 | 25–14 | | 99–79 | Report |
| 27 Feb | 18:00 | Chemik Police | 3–2 | Vizura Ruma | 22–25 | 25–23 | 19–25 | 25–19 | 19–17 | 110–109 | Report |
| 27 Feb | 19:00 | Dinamo Kazan | 3–1 | Maritza Plovdiv | 25–23 | 21–25 | 25–15 | 25–6 | | 96–69 | 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 | 554 | 453 | 1.223 | Playoff round |
| 2 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 6 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 1.556 | 536 | 482 | 1.112 | Playoff round |
| 3 | Dinamo Moscow | 6 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 0.833 | 462 | 481 | 0.960 | |
| 4 | Grot Budowlani Łódź | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 0.111 | 351 | 487 | 0.721 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 14 Dec | 19:00 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3–1 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 25–22 | 25–18 | 23–25 | 26–24 | | 99–89 | Report |
| 21 Dec | 20:00 | Grot Budowlani Łódź | 0–3 | Dinamo Moscow | 18–25 | 20–25 | 23–25 | | | 61–75 | Report |
| 9 Jan | 19:00 | Dinamo Moscow | 1–3 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 21–25 | 18–25 | 25–23 | 17–25 | | 81–98 | Report |
| 10 Jan | 19:00 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3–1 | Grot Budowlani Łódź | 25–16 | 24–26 | 25–15 | 25–16 | | 99–73 | Report |
| 23 Jan | 19:00 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 3–0 | Grot Budowlani Łódź | 25–16 | 25–21 | 25–17 | | | 75–54 | Report |
| 24 Jan | 19:00 | Dinamo Moscow | 0–3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 20–25 | 22–25 | 18–25 | | | 60–75 | Report |
| 6 Feb | 18:00 | Grot Budowlani Łódź | 1–3 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 9–25 | 18–25 | 25–13 | 15–25 | | 67–88 | Report |
| 8 Feb | 19:00 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3–2 | Dinamo Moscow | 22–25 | 25–18 | 25–11 | 21–25 | 15–9 | 108–88 | Report |
| 20 Feb | 19:00 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 3–1 | Dinamo Moscow | 19–25 | 25–22 | 25–15 | 25–21 | | 94–83 | Report |
| 20 Feb | 20:00 | Grot Budowlani Łódź | 0–3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 13–25 | 22–25 | 16–25 | | | 51–75 | Report |
| 27 Feb | 19:00 | Dinamo Moscow | 3–0 | Grot Budowlani Łódź | 25–12 | 25–13 | 25–20 | | | 75–45 | Report |
| 27 Feb | 20:30 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 1–3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 21–25 | 22–25 | 25–22 | 24–26 | | 92–98 | Report |

## Playoffs

* Drawing of lots held in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg on 2 March 2018.

### Playoff 6

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Voléro Zürich | 0–6 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 0–3 | 0–3 |
| Imoco Volley Conegliano | 4–2 | Dinamo Kazan | 3–0 | 2–3 |
| Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 4–2 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara | 2–3 | 3–1 |

#### First leg

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 21 Mar | 19:00 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 2–3 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara | 21–25 | 25–7 | 25–16 | 21–25 | 10–15 | 102–88 | Report |
| 21 Mar | 20:30 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 3–0 | Dinamo Kazan | 25–19 | 25–18 | 25–17 | | | 75–54 | Report |
| 22 Mar | 20:00 | Voléro Zürich | 0–3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 17–25 | 22–25 | 21–25 | | | 60–75 | Report |

#### Second leg

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 4 Apr | 19:00 | Dinamo Kazan | 3–2 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 25–15 | 21–25 | 20–25 | 25–17 | 15–13 | 106–95 | Report |
| 5 Apr | 19:00 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3–0 | Voléro Zürich | 25–12 | 25–14 | 25–17 | | | 75–43 | Report |
| 5 Apr | 20:30 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara | 1–3 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 26–24 | 20–25 | 17–25 | 19–25 | | 82–99 | Report |

## Final four

* Organizer: CSM Volei Alba Blaj
* Venue: Sala Polivalentă, Bucharest, Romania
| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| 5 May | 5 May |
| Imoco Volley Conegliano | 2 |
| Imoco Volley Conegliano | 2 | 6 May | 6 May |
| VakıfBank Istanbul | 3 | 6 May | 6 May |
| VakıfBank Istanbul | 3 | CSM Volei Alba Blaj | 0 |
| 5 May | 5 May | | CSM Volei Alba Blaj | 0 |
| 5 May | 5 May | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3 |
| CSM Volei Alba Blaj | 3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 3 |
| Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 1 | | |
| Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 1 | 3rd place match | 3rd place match |
| | | 6 May | 6 May |
| | | Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 0 |
| | | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 3 |

### Semifinals

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 5 May | 15:00 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 2–3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 22–25 | 21–25 | 25–17 | 25–15 | 14–16 | 107–98 | Report |
| 5 May | 18:00 | CSM Volei Alba Blaj | 3–1 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 23–25 | 25–17 | 25–22 | 25–22 | | 98–86 | Report |

### 3rd place match

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 6 May | 16:00 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul | 0–3 | Imoco Volley Conegliano | 17–25 | 18–25 | 20–25 | | | 55–75 | Report |

### Final

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 6 May | 19:00 | CSM Volei Alba Blaj | 0–3 | VakıfBank Istanbul | 17–25 | 11–25 | 17–25 | | | 45–75 | Report |

## Final standing

| Rank | Team |
| | VakıfBank Istanbul |
| | CSM Volei Alba Blaj |
| | Imoco Volley Conegliano |
| 4 | Galatasaray SK Istanbul |
| 5 | Voléro Zürich |
| 5 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara |
| 5 | Dinamo Kazan |
| 8 | Chemik Police |
| 9 | Developres SkyRes Rzeszów |
| 9 | Fenerbahçe SK Istanbul |
| 9 | Vizura Ruma |
| 9 | Dinamo Moscow |
| 13 | ASPTT Mulhouse |
| 13 | Maritza Plovdiv |
| 13 | Agel Prostějov |
| 13 | Grot Budowlani Łódź |
| (C) | Qualified for the 2018 FIVB Club World Championship |
* 2017–18 Women's Club European Champions
* VakıfBank Istanbul 4th title
* Roster for Final Four
* Örge, Kırdar Sonsırma, Özbay, Zhu, Akman Çalışkan, Robinson, Gürkaynak, Aykaç, Slöetjes, Aydemir Akyol, Karakurt, Rašić, Şenoğlu, Güneş
* Head coach Guidetti

## Awards

* Most valuable player
    Gözde Kırdar Sonsırma (VakıfBank Istanbul)
* Best setter
    Joanna Wołosz (Imoco Volley Conegliano)
* Best outside spikers
    Zhu Ting (VakıfBank Istanbul)
    Kimberly Hill (Imoco Volley Conegliano)
* Best middle blockers
    Milena Rašić (VakıfBank Istanbul)
    Nneka Onyejekwe (CSM Volei Alba Blaj)
* Best opposite spiker
    Ana Cleger (CSM Volei Alba Blaj)
* Best libero
    Hatice Gizem Örge (VakıfBank Istanbul)

## Record

On 6 May 2018, in the final game of the 2018 Champions League, VakıfBank Istanbul attained the record of the best score in a volleyball European cup final since the Rally Point System was adopted, with only 45 points lost. Consequently, CSM Volei Alba Blaj holds the record for the worst score.