Istanbul, Turkey, October 16, 2015 – Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul, the 2015 FIVB Women’s Club World Championship winners and 2015 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League gold medallists, held a press conference ahead of their 2015-16 season.
Eczacibasi Sports Club Chairman Faruk Eczacibasi stated that the new season has a special meaning for the team. “We are happy to leave behind half a century (1966 to 2016) and to get into our 50th year of activity as the reigning World and European champions. We always support and believe in our girls.”
Eczacibasi Team Manager Nalan Ural stated that the team is aiming to continue with their winning streak from last year: “We have got a busy schedule with the Champions League and Turkey’s National Championship. With this in mind, we have an extended roster. It will be our second season with head coach Giovanni Caprara whose work was instrumental to our victories in the Champions League and Club World Championship last year.
“Our team captain Neslihan Demir Guler, Gulden Kayalar Kuzubasioglu, Maja Poljak, Asuman Karakoyun, Busra Cansu Kilicli, Jordan Larson-Burbach, Christiane Furst, Dilara Bagci and Ceylan Arısan have all stayed with Eczacibasi for the coming season. We have made important transfers to strengthen our team. Neriman Ozsoy, who grew up here in our club, has come back after some international experience abroad; Rosir Calderon Diaz, who played in Turkey before; Serbian national team player and young talent Tijana Boskovic; Team USA setter Molly Kreklow; young spiker Damla Cakiroglu, who was transferred from Idman Ocagi; young and talented star Hande Baladin, who also started playing here; and the very young Kubra Kegan. These players have all joined our team this season. We rely on our players and we believe that we are going to have another good season.”
Giovanni Caprara stressed that Eczacibasi is one of the most important and respected volleyball clubs not only in Turkey, but also on the global stage. “We celebrated two significant achievements during my first year here,” he said. “To reach even better results in my second season with Eczacibasi, we will continue to do our job and to work hard.”
Team captain Neslihan Demir Guler said she is confident that Eczacibasi can continue their success story from last year: “We are going to work hard to be a team, to focus on the goals we have set and to be better. I hope for an injury-free and successful season that we can crown with more success as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of our club.”