Pool A Preview: Serbia and Russia are the frontrunners

Pool A is the only one in the CEV EuroVolley 2021 Women to feature multiple national teams that represented Europe in the Tokyo Olympics. Unsurprisingly, Serbia, which hosts the matches in Belgrade, and Russia are expected to compete for the top spot of the pool when they meet on August 25.

Fresh from winning their second-straight Olympic medal, a bronze in Tokyo, the Serbians will once again count on the firepower of their stars – opposite Tijana Boskovic, who was included in the Olympic Dream Team, setter Maja Ognjenovic and middle blocker Milena Rasic – to try to become the first team to win three straight continental titles in the last 20 years and secure their fourth title (the first was in 2011). The reigning world champions enter the tournament on a 16-match winning streak that led them to the top of the podium in the last two editions.

The last to win three in a row were Russia, which claimed three of their 19 gold medals in consecutive editions of the tournament between 1997 and 2001. The team had to settle for seventh in Tokyo, but the strong performances from veterans like setter Evgeniya Startseva and middle blocker Irina Koroleva and the consolidation of rising star Arina Fedorovtseva have reinforced the idea that the Russians can battle any team in the world and secure their 20^th continental title after a six-year gap.

Belgium are in a tier of their own in the pool as they might not have the tradition or the results of the Serbians and Russians but have performed significantly better than the other three opponents recently. The Belgians, which won their only medal at the EuroVolley, a bronze, in 2013, have played a solid FIVB Volleyball Nations League in 2021, taking Serbia and Russia both to five sets. Outside hitter Britt Herbots, the top scorer of the VNL, is one of the most lethal scorers in international volleyball and can make a difference against any opponent.

With their first Olympic appearance guaranteed for Paris 2024 as the host country, France is expected to raise their level over the next few years. The EuroVolley 2021 could be a good opportunity for them to start doing it as even do it could be unrealistic to expect a fourth-place finish, as they did back in 1951, their fifth-place finish at the 2021 CEV European Golden League gave French fans hope they can improve from their 21^st-place finish in 2019.

The main obstacle standing between France and the elimination round might be Azerbaijan, a team they beat 3-1 in the Golden League. The Azeris have appeared in each edition of the EuroVolley since 2005 and finished fourth twice – in 2005 and 2017 – but the retirement of star opposite Polina Rahimova, in 2020, left the team without a reliable scoring presence that is typically pivotal in tournaments of this level – and that was reflected with a 10^th-place finish in this year’s European Golden League.

The only team to make its debut in the EuroVolley this year, Bosnia and Herzegovina have a tough task ahead of them. The team showed promise by winning the 2021 CEV European Silver League with strong performances of outside hitter Edina Begic (MVP), opposite Dajana Boskovic (top scorer) and libero Milica Ivkovic (best receiver) but its lack of experience could be too much to handle in a tournament of this caliber.

Reuniting teams with different aspirations in a city that lives and breathes volleyball, Pool A should offer some exciting battles and an interesting mix of playing styles for those watching.