Team Portugal at work ahead of EuroVolley qualifiers
News
Under the guidance of Portuguese Volleyball legend João José, the women’s national team of Portugal started this week their preparations for the upcoming CEV EuroVolley 2021 qualifiers, with two tournaments scheduled to run in Matosinhos (POR) and Tbilisi (GEO) from May 7-9 and 14-16, respectively. Portugal are due to face the national teams of Georgia, Sweden, and Ukraine. The winners and runners-up of the pool will make the journey to the EuroVolley event hosted later this summer by Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania.
The former captain of the men’s national team, now coaching the women’s squad, said:
“The pandemic has brought a new situation. There must be a joint effort so that, in the short time that we will have to prepare, we can be ready to contest the qualification for the final stages of the competitions in which we are involved, as we aim to qualify for the EuroVolley finals and to reach the Final Four of the European Silver League.”
“We believe that the group must combine the maturity and stability coming from the more experienced players and the energy and ambition of the younger ones,” he continues. “It will be a tight schedule where we will probably only have the full working group about a week before the start of the competition. We are aware of the enormous challenge that lies ahead, but we are confident in the group and in its ability to overcome difficult situations, as the objectives demand it.”
Players
Setters
Ana Couto (Sporting CP)
Eliana Durão (Leixões SC)
Ana Carmo Figueiras (GC Vilacondense)
Middle Blockers
Helena Monteiro (PV2014/AV Col. Efanor)
Aline Rodrigues (Sporting CP)
Amanda Cavalcanti (Sporting CP)
Marlene Pereira (Castêlo da Maia GC)
Outside Hitters
Inês Pereira (GC Vilacondense)
Bárbara Gomes (AJM/FC Porto
Marta Hurst (Osacc Haro Rioja Vóley /ESP)
Ana Afonso (GC Vilacondense)
Opposite Hitters
Margarida Maia (GC Vilacondense)
Júlia Kavalenka (Olimpia Teodora Ravenna/ITA)
Maria Reis Lopes (PV2014/AV Col. Efanor)
Alice Clemente (CD Fátima)
Daniela Ferreira (SL Benfica)
Liberos
Joana Resende (AJM/FC Porto)
Matilde Calado Rodrigues (PV2014/AV Col. Efanor)