EuroVolley knockouts to get under way with two exciting eighthfinals in Varna
Preview
The first two of the eight men’s CEV EuroVolley 2023 eighthfinals will get the second phase of the tournament going on Friday in Varna. Croatia and Romania will be the first to hit the court at the Palace of Culture and Sports, starting at 17:30 local time. Reigning Olympic champions France will then take on host Bulgaria at 20:30.
Croatia was the pleasant surprise in Pool B of the first phase of EuroVolley, also held in Varna. It finished runner-up to unbeaten pool favorite Slovenia after wins over Ukraine, Spain and Bulgaria and losses to Finland and Slovenia. It is the second time the Croatians advance past the pool stage and compete in the knockout round of a European Championship, after 2021. If they win their eighthfinal match on Friday, it will be the second time they make it among the top eight on the continent, after 2005, when only 12 teams participated in the EuroVolley Finals.
Romania also finished its pool-stage campaign on a 3-2 win-loss record, but as third in Pool D in Tel Aviv, below France and Portugal. It achieved a stunning 3-1 win over the Olympic champions, handing them their only loss in the pool. The Romanians also beat Turkiye and Greece, but lost to Portugal and Israel. Romania was among Europe’s top teams from the 1950s through the 1970s, when it collected five European Championship medals including the title in 1963. Now, however, it reached the top 16 of the continent for the first time since its 12th place in 1995.
Croatia and Romania have never met at the Finals of a European Championship or a major world-level competition before. Their last four encounters were in 2014, when they met twice in EuroVolley 2015 qualifiers, and in 2015, when they met twice in the CEV European League. Croatia won all four of these games.
Marko Sedlacek"We are aware that we are playing perhaps the most important match for our generation. The Romanians are right up there with us in terms of quality. We have to be relaxed because that's how we play our best, but also be aware of the importance of this match. We are preparing as well as possible and we’ll do our best.”
Outside hitter of Croatia
Sergiu Stancu“In Tel Aviv, we learnt that everything is possible as long as we are performing well on the court. We had a bumpy start, but we improved in the last three matches. For sure, the win against the Olympic champions can give us an additional motivation boost, since it is not so common for a team like Romania to beat teams of such level. Regarding the match against Croatia, our preparation for the game is going well, and we are looking forward to it.”
Head coach of Romania
Other than the setback against Romania, France allowed no surprises in Pool D, losing only a set in the other four matches in Israel and topping the final pool standings. Now it returns to Bulgaria, the country where the French triumphed with their only EuroVolley title in history, back in 2015. It was also the last time they earned a continental medal. Previously in the European Championships, they collected four silvers and a bronze.
EuroVolley 2023 co-host Bulgaria qualified for the eighthfinals as the fourth-placed team in Pool B, on a 2-3 win-loss record, after beating Finland and Ukraine, but losing to Spain, Croatia and Slovenia. The southern European nation has collected five EuroVolley medals in history (one silver and four bronzes), most recently in 2009. If the team makes it to the quarterfinals, it will be for the first time since 2017.
Bulgaria leads France by 23 to 19 in the head-to-head encounters between the two teams at major international competitions. However, France has won eight of the 15 matches they have played in the history of EuroVolley, most recently a 3-0 in 2019. The last time they crossed ways was in Volleyball Nations League 2021, when France won in straight sets. Bulgaria’s last victory was achieved in 2020, a 3-2 at the European Olympic qualification tournament, before France went on to grab the ticket to Tokyo and then claim the Olympic gold.
Andrea Giani“I have a good feeling about being here, in Bulgaria. We enter this important stage of the competition, when each match is like a final. Our match against Bulgaria is important. We will play in front of their home crowd and it will be hard, because their team has many important players. But when we start the match, both sides have the same chances. It will be important to seize all the opportunities. The focus, the attitude, the technique - all will matter. We need to put all our energies in.”
Head coach of France
Plamen Konstantinov“I really hope that we will manage to get into the match against France using the positive energy from our last match in the pool. Yes, we lost, but we also showed some high-quality volleyball, so I hope to keep it that way in the eighthfinals.”
Head coach of Bulgaria