Helena Cazaute, captain of the French national volleyball team, was crowned champions on Sunday with Vakifbank Istanbul in the Champions League after a 3-1 victory over Eczacibasi Dynavit, all in a 100% Istanbul derby. Another trophy for Gruissanaise Hélèna Cazaute. After winning the Turkish Cup and the championship, the French team captain clinched the most prestigious club title: the Champions League. In front of 13,500 spectators at the Ulker Sports Arena in Istanbul, Vakifbank dominated Eczacibasi in the first two sets. Despite a tougher opposition in the third set, the seven-time European champions confirmed their superiority, with Tijana Bošković (33 points) and Marina Markova (26 points) leading the way to a 3-1 victory.
This marks Cazaute’s first victory in the prestigious European competition, following a finalist finish in 2024 and a third-place finish last year with Milan. She joins a select group of French women playing abroad who have won a continental title, alongside Brigitte Lesage (1988) and Lucille Gicquel (2021). This week, Cazaute is closer to her hometown of Narbonne as she trains with the French national volleyball team in Béziers, where she turned pro and will play a friendly match against Hungary on Thursday. Up next, the Nations League with the French team from June 3 to July 26.
