Serbian international volleyball players Brankica Mihajlović and Maja Aleksić have reportedly parted ways with Turkish club Zeren Spor, citing a severe financial crisis and a prolonged issue with unpaid salaries. This significant development, initially brought to light by SportKlub.rs, underscores growing concerns within the team’s operations.
Both athletes were conspicuously absent from Zeren’s recent 3-2 defeat to Conegliano in the second leg of the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals. In that crucial match, the Turkish squad notably fielded only 12 players. It has been confirmed that their absence was not attributable to injury but rather to the club’s failure to meet its financial obligations, compelling both players to return to Serbia.
Founded in 2022, Zeren Spor is reportedly grappling with substantial financial challenges. Insider sources indicate that players and staff at the club have received only two salary payments throughout the entirety of the current season. Despite these profound financial struggles, the team commendably achieved a third-place finish in the highly competitive Turkish Sultanlar League and advanced to the prestigious Champions League quarter-finals.
The departure of pivotal players like Mihajlović and Aleksić highlights the precarious financial state of Zeren Spor. This situation inevitably raises serious questions about the club’s long-term stability and its future capacity to compete effectively at the elite level of professional volleyball.
