ZARAGOZA — Fenerbahce Opet defeated Galatasaray Cagdas Faktoring 68-55 in the EuroLeague Women final, capturing their third continental title in a night marked by the leadership of Emma Meesseman and Julie Allemand. The Turkish club avenged their 2014 final loss to their eternal rival and closed the wound from last year's semifinal loss on the same Zaragoza court.
The EuroLeague Women final started with a brave, aggressive Galatasaray team that was sharp from beyond the arc. The team, managed with a very short rotation, found rhythm thanks to Marine Johannes's three-point accuracy, which kept her squad afloat with several triples in the opening stretch. Still, Fenerbahce Opet responded with patience, greater bench depth, and the talent of their star players to close the first half with a five-point advantage.
The matchup changed dramatically after halftime. When the game was still being played in tight margins, Fenerbahce Opet's Belgian connection appeared. Two consecutive three-pointers from Julie Allemand ignited the champions and, shortly after, Emma Meesseman punished with one of her classic mid-range shots. That run opened a decisive gap and forced Galatasaray to play catch-up for the rest of the game.
With the scoreboard already tilted in their favor, Fenerbahce Opet managed the pace with authority. Allemand's playmaking was complete, nearly recording a triple-double with 13 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds—a decisive performance that confirmed her as one of the standout figures of this Final Six. Alongside her, Emma Meesseman delivered another display of hierarchy with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Iliana Rupert added 16 points and 6 rebounds to solidify the victory.
Galatasaray, which had started with sharp shooting from three-point range, gradually lost efficiency and finished the final with a modest 25% from three-point range, a stat that ultimately limited any chance of a comeback. The team's competitive effort was notable, but the lack of rotation depth and key absences weighed too heavily in a match of maximum demands.
The absence of Dorka Juhasz, the competition's MVP, and the prior absence of Teja Oblak further reduced Galatasaray's options in the EuroLeague Women final.
For Fenerbahce Opet, the triumph cements their place even deeper in the tournament's historical elite. The Turkish club now has three continental crowns and establishes itself as one of the great powers of European women's basketball. For Galatasaray, there remains the merit of a strong campaign and the feeling of having competed to the limits of their resources.