Big surprise in the Romanian quarter-finals of the CEV Cup » CSO Voluntari defeated the champion Alba Blaj!
Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published on Thursday, 19 February 2026, 23:14 / Updated on Thursday, 19 February 2026 23:28
The women's team CSO Voluntari produced a surprise and beat the Romanian champion, CSM Volei Alba Blaj away, in the quarter-finals of the CEV Cup, score 3-1 in sets (26-24, 25-20, 19-25, 25-23). The second leg is scheduled for February 25, in Bucharest.
The team from Ilfov started with a second chance, especially since in the domestic championship they had lost to Transylvania 0-3, just a week ago.
Voluntari defeated Alba Blaj in the Romanian quarter-finals of the CEV Cup
CSO Voluntari got off to a great start and won their first two sets, quickly closing in on an important win. In the third act, the hosts came back and reduced the difference, this being the set with the biggest score difference. The fourth leg was decisive, but the team from Bucharest managed the end better and won the first duel of the Romanian “quarter”.
The second leg, the decisive one for qualification, will be played on Wednesday, February 25, in Bucharest.
How qualification is decided
In the CEV Cup, qualification is played over a double leg, and the team with more points after the two games advances. In the event of a tie, a “Golden Set” of up to 15 points is contested.
The winner of the Romanian duel will meet the winner of the match between Levallois Paris Saint-Cloud (France) and Galatasaray (Turkey) in the semifinals.
Blaj, silver in the last European season
Alba Blaj is coming off a solid European season, in which she won the silver medals in the previous edition of the CEV Cup, losing the final to Igor Gorgonzola Novara (Italy). The Ardennes have contested five European finals in the last eight years, all lost, and dominate the domestic competition, with eight titles won in the last 11 seasons.
On the other hand, CSO Voluntari was the champion of Romania in the 2023/2024 season and defeated Alba Blaj in the Romanian Supercup in October 2025. For Voluntari, the success in the tour represents the 10th consecutive victory, while Blajul was coming after a series of four successes in a row. The return from Bucharest is decisive for the qualification in the semifinals of the competition.
