The final of the European Volleyball Championship will feature a rerun of the last Olympic final (21 p.m.). Slovenia and Finland for third place (17 p.m.)
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26.09.2026. 09:53h
A rematch of the Olympic Games final in the battle for the European throne – Poland and France, the teams that competed for gold in Paris 2024, will fight for the continental throne on Saturday in Milan.
France was better at the Olympic tournament two years ago, while the current European champions, with Nikola Grbić on the bench, want a full rematch.
The EuroVolley final is on Saturday at 21 p.m. in Milan’s Unipol Forum, and it also brings the fight for a direct place at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The Poles eliminated Slovenia in the semifinals without dropping a set, while France stopped the championship sensation, Finland – 3:1.
A large number of Polish fans filled the stands in Milan, and their support followed Grbić’s team to another great victory. In the end – 25:23. 25:23, 25:18.
Poland set the pace from the beginning of the first set and led 15:12, but Slovenia managed to get closer in the final set. However, after a series of three points by Slovenia, the Poles remained calm and took a 1:0 lead.
A similar scenario was seen in the second set. Poland had a 14:10 advantage, Slovenia came back to 21:21, but the quality and experience of the current European champion decided the key points. Wilfredo Leon was in a particularly good mood, and Poland won the second set 25:23.
Slovenia took a 14:11 lead in the third set, but that was all. The Poles quickly turned things around, and in the end even stepped up the pressure – 25:18.
The most efficient player on the winning team was Bartolomej Bolonđ with 14 points, while Tomas Fornal, Wilfredo Leon and Bartolomej Lemanski added 11 each. On the other side, Nik Mujanović scored 20 points, including four aces.
“We won in three sets, but there is never an easy match for us and there is always pressure for results. I have the best guys in the team, they are always completely at my disposal and I am grateful to them for the dedication they showed today,” said Nikola Grbić, Poland’s coach.
His team will be playing for their second consecutive European title. The last time a team managed to defend continental gold was more than two decades ago – Italy in 2003 and 2005.
“If we look at everything together, Poland was better in all elements. They were everywhere and it was very difficult to play against them. They were simply better. We fought from the first point, but it wasn’t enough,” said Slovenia’s libero Jani Kovačič.
France justified its role as a favorite in the second semi-final and celebrated against the biggest surprise of the championship, Finland, with a score of 3:1 (25:17, 18:25, 25:18, 25:15).
The French opened the match furiously. They controlled the reception and attack, took a 17:12 lead, and then without any major problems won the first set 25:17.
Finland did not give up. With the great support of the fans, who traveled to Milan in large numbers, they managed to take control in the second set. They led 16:12 and tied the score at 1:1 – 25:18.
It was, however, the last real onslaught of the Finns.
France opened the match in the third set with a run that gave them a huge 13:5 lead, and then routinely preserved the lead for 25:18.
In the fourth set, Finland tried to come back, but the French block and serve again made the difference. After 9:6, France took complete control and secured their place in the final with 25:15.
The most efficient players were Matiz Eno with 21 and Theo Faur with 20 points. For Finland, Noa Martila with 13 and Joonas Jokela with 12 points stood out.
“I’m overjoyed and I have no words to describe how I feel. Reaching the final was our goal and I’m incredibly happy, proud and satisfied,” said Eno.
Faur is aware of what awaits France in the fight for gold.
“We have another tough match against Poland. What we have to do is stay focused on every point.”
France coach Andrea Gianni will be playing in the European Championship finals for the third time with a third different team. He previously reached the final with Slovenia in 2015 and Germany in 2017.
“Making it to the final was our first goal at this EuroVolley. We expected them to play much better in the second set, but then we got our style of play back and that was key. Now we have one night to reset and find the right energy for the final,” said Đani.
Slovenia and Finland will also meet in the bronze medal match on Saturday (17 p.m.). For Finland, it is an opportunity to win the first medal in the history of the European Championship.
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