Following numerous achievements as a coach, Igor Kolaković has penned a significant chapter in his club volleyball career.

The Montenegrin tactician propelled Halkbank to the semi-finals of the Champions League, with the Turkish club securing a spot in the final four held in Lodz, Poland.

Halkbank triumphed in the first match with a score of 3:1, but faced a setback in the second match, losing 3:0. However, due to a peculiar rule in volleyball, the outcome was decided by the golden set, and Kolaković’s team seized the moment. They emerged victorious with a score of 15:12 and will contend for the European title from May 16th to 18th.

The crucial set was clinched largely thanks to Dutch player Dick Koj, who scored 15 points, followed by Czech Marek Šotola with 14 points and Joandi Leal contributing 11 points.

Halkbank now awaits the winner of the Italian showdown between Perugia and Monza in the semi-finals. The Umbrian club claimed victory in the first leg away from home with a score of 3-1, and the second leg is scheduled for tonight at 20:30 PM.

The other semi-final promises to be an exciting contest as Jastěmbski and Aluron Warta, both from Poland, will face off. Jastěmbski reached this stage by eliminating Olympiacos, while the Zavjerce team straightforwardly defeated Germany’s Lüneburg.

This time, Polish volleyball could have dominated three of the four spots in the final four, but they fell short against Igor Kolaković and his Halkbank squad.

Halkbank’s most notable achievement to date was reaching the Champions League final in 2014. Interestingly, none of the clubs still in the hunt for the title this year has previously held the title of European champions.

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