Mouthwatering final to deliver new champion at the CEV EuroVolley Women

The efforts have been huge so far, but at this point of the competition only one thing matters: the win. Ergo, the big trophy of the CEV EuroVolley 2023 Women. After 20 difficult days, after hard-fought battles, going through thick and thin, there are only two teams standing, riding an eight-game winning streak to the final: Türkiye and Serbia, meaning that a new champion will follow in Italy's footsteps.

They are familiar foes – having also played the final in 2019, won by Serbia, in front of a packed arena in Ankara – with nine matches played in official competitions over the last five years, including three at the CEV EuroVolley Women, all won by Serbia.

In fact, Serbia have won the past six mutual matches in the European premium competition, a mental boost before this final, where Türkiye will finally hope to break the curse and seal their first-ever European title, after making the semi-finals in seven of the last editions of the competition, but always fell short.

However, this time, Türkiye feel different, on a whole another level, a stronger side, with the addition of Melissa Vargas, who made her debut for Türkiye in 2023 and immediately helped the side seal a major trophy, the FIVB Women’s Nations League, where they also beat Serbia, 3:1, in the preliminary round of the competition.

Vargas has been nothing short of spectacular, being Türkiye’s top scorer in the first eight matches of the competition, with 160 points, or an average of 6.15 points per set. Between the top 20 scorers of the CEV EuroVolley 2023, only two players, Sweden’s Isabelle Haak (7.19 points per set) and Serbia’s star Tijana Bošković (7.11 points per set), have scored at a larger pace.

“We are having an incredible summer. Our goal was to play the final in the CEV EuroVolley Women after we won the Nations League. It will be a very special final for me as well, because it is my first one here, with the national team. I am excited and I really hope to win our first trophy,” says Türkiye’s setter, Elif Șahin.

On the other hand, Serbia have made the final for the fourth consecutive time, having won the first two and lost the last one, against Italy, two years ago. However, if Serbia win the match on Sunday, which will be played in the Palais 12 in Brussels, they will jump on the second place in the all-time standings, with four gold medals, just behind the Soviet Union/Russia (13).

The reigning world champions have won 32 of the last 33 matches at the CEV EuroVolley Women and the opponent whom they won the most matches was Türkiye, their opponent in the final – five. But it is unlikely that they will have an easy challenge against such an in-form team, despite having a true star in superb form in Tijana Boškovic.

The 26-year-old opposite has been the MVP at the CEV EuroVolley Women in 2017 and 2019 and the top scorer in 2021, being 30 points clear of Melissa Vargas in the second place to seal the latter award once again, for the second time in her decorated career.

“Türkiye have quality in all positions, that is known. With Melissa Vargas, they have are better and are functioning superbly in attack. But we have a positive head-to-head record against them and we hope to bring another gold medal back to Serbia,” says Boškovic.

But the final, scheduled for 20:00 CEST in the Palais 12 in Brussels, is not the only match to be played on Sunday. Italy, who lost dramatically against Türkiye in the semi-finals, 2:3, will hope to save a medal and secure the bronze when they face the Netherlands, at 16:30 CEST.

The two sides are familiar foes, with the match between Italy and the Netherlands being the most played in history at the CEV EuroVolley Women, with the two sides locking horns 20 times. Surprisingly, the two sides have shared 10 wins each, with this bronze medal match tilting the balance once again for one side.

Italy have been nothing short of superb this competition before the semi-finals, when a surprising drop in their level in the last set seeing them out of contention, after having previously not conceded a set on their way to the penultimate act.

Until now, Italy have played six bronze medal matches, winning three and losing three, but their current run of form, with Ekaterina Antropova shining at times at her debut in the Italy national team, makes them favourites in this match, while the Netherlands hope to secure their first medal in the top European competition for the first time since 2017.