Minas Praia Mauricio Val

Brazilian giants Praia Clube and Gerdau Minas will play for the title of the country's Superliga (Photo: Maurício Val/FVImagem/CBV)

May has arrived and that means we’re officially in the month in which the Volleyball Nations League 2023 will start, but before that happens, the club season is still in its final chapters around the world.

More champions will be crowned this week, with Thailand’s Diamond Food Fine Chef and Vietnam’s Sport Center1 battling for the Women’s Asian Club title and fierce rivals Dentil Praia Clube and Gerdau Minas playing for gold in the Brazilian Superliga.

The SuperLega Credem Banca in Italy could also come to an end this week, with Itas Trentino and Cucine Lube Civitanova playing twice over four days to see their best-of-five series get to three matches. On Saturday, the Lega Pallavolo Serie A1 Femminile Finals will start, but before that, on Wednesday, we’ll find out who will face defending champions Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano – Savino Del Bene Scandicci or Vero Volley Monza?

It's going to be a big week in Türkiye too, with both the country’s men’s and women’s leagues entering their final stages.

Here’s what to follow in the first week of May:

Tuesday

Turkish Men’s Efeler Ligi: Halkbank Ankara vs. Ziraat Bankasi – 19:00 local time (16:00 UTC)

Halkbank Ankara and Ziraat Bankasi will start the decision of the Turkish Men’s Efeler Ligi title with the first match in their best-of-five series. Led by Dutch superstar Nimir Abdel-Aziz, Halkbank were the best team in the regular season and eliminated Arkas Spor in the semifinals. Ziraat, who were second in the preliminary phase and have Italian veteran Osmany Juantorena as a key player, overcame Fenerbahçe HDI Sigorta on their way to the Finals.

Women’s Club Asian Championship Final: Diamond Food Fine Chef – Air Force vs. Sport Center1 – 19:30 local time (12:20 UTC)

Thailand’s Diamond Food Fine Chef and Vietnam’s Sport Center1 will meet in the gold medal match of the Women’s Club Asian Championship, with the winners earning a spot in this year’s FIVB Women’s Club World Championship. Led by Thai star Nootsara Tomkom, Diamond cruised past King Whale Taipei in the semifinals while Sport Center1 topped China’s Liaoning Donghua.

Wednesday

Lega Pallavolo Serie A1 Femminile Semifinals: Savino Del Bene Scandicci vs. Vero Volley Milano – 20:30 local time (18:30 UTC)
Watch on VBTV

Savino Del Bene Scandicci and Vero Volley Milano will decide who will face Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano in the Finals of the Lega Pallavolo Serie A1 Femminile. Their best-of-three semifinal series is tied 1-1 after both teams won their home matches and Scandicci will have the advantage of playing in front of their fans in their third and decisive encounter.

Thursday

SuperLega Credem Banca Finals: Cucine Lube Civitanova vs. Itas Trentino – 20:30 local time (18:30 UTC)
Watch on VBTV

Cucine Lube Civitanova and Itas Trentino will continue their best-of-five series in the Finals of the SuperLega Credem Banca, now in Civitanova Marché. Trentino started the series with a win on Monday and will try to get to match three, on Sunday, in a position to clinch the title at home while defending champions Lube need a win to secure that the encounter will be back in their stadium on match four.

Friday

Turkish Women’s Sultanlar Ligi Semifinals

Friday could be the day when the finalists of the Turkish Women’s Sultanlar Ligi are known, with the second leg of the best-of-three series that will determine the teams that will play for the Turkish title taking place – the first-leg duels will be held on Wednesday. Turkish Cup winners VakifBank Istanbul will be at home against Fenerbahçe Opet while Eczacibasi Dynavit will host Türk Hava Yollari (THY).

Saturday

Lega Pallavolo Serie A1 Femminile Finals: Leg 1 – 20:15 local time (18:15 UTC)
Watch on VBTV

The winners of Wednesday’s decider in the Lega Pallavolo Serie A1 Femminile semifinals will be back on the court on Saturday, for the start of the Finals. The best team in the regular season, Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano will be on the court against Savino Del Bene Scandicci or Vero Volley Monza as they start the series that could give them their fifth-straight Italian title.

Sunday

SuperLega Credem Banca Finals: Itas Trentino vs. Cucine Lube Civitanova – time TBD
Watch on VBTV

The SuperLega Credem Banca Finals will return to Trento for the third match between Itas Trentino and Cucine Lube Civitanova. Trentino could enter this match needing only one more victory to claim the title if they prevail on Thursday while Lube could be looking for the go-ahead win in case they triumph in front of their fans on match two.

Brazilian Women’s Superliga Final: Dentil Praia Clube vs. Gerdau Minas – 10:00 local time (13:00 UTC)

In-state rivals Dentil Praia Clube and Gerdau Minas will decide the Brazilian Women’s Superliga for a fourth-straight season in a single match in Uberlândia. Minas, who won the tournament in the last three years, have two-time Olympic champion Thaisa Menezes and Brazilian national team players Kisy Nascimento and Pri Daroit in their squad while Praia will rely on Olympic medallists Ana Carolina ‘Carol’ da Silva and the Dominican sisters Brayelin and Jineiry Martínez.