A likely maiden winner to be crowned in mouthwatering Golden League Men Final Four in Brno

The four teams qualified for the Final Four of the CEV Volleyball European Golden League 2025 Men are ready to face off in Brno, Czechia, with the big prize at the end of the line – the coveted title for the champions of this edition.

From the four participating teams, only hosts Czechia have already won the trophy – twice, in 2004 and 2022 – while Greece, Israel and Finland never secured more than a silver medal, with Greece finishing twice on the podium (silver in 2014 and bronze in 2006) and Finland finishing second in 2005.

It has definitely been a surprising edition of the  CEV Volleyball European Golden League Men, as Israel have shocked everybody by delivering six wins in six matches, as a newly-promoted side, which had little experience at this level.

So far, Israel have dropped six sets and had only one point ahead of the second-placed side, Greece, but they have already beaten hosts Czechia, in the first week of the competition, 3:1, despite Lukas Vasina scoring 20 points for the hosts of the Final Four.

“This is simply the national team and everyone wants to show off in it and take it as far as possible. We all want it to go as well as possible and I see the tournament in Brno as a final, which I haven't had in a club season for a long time. I have good memories of winning the trophy in 2022 and I hope we repeat this performance,” said Adam Zajíček, Czechia’s captain.

The hosts had a mixed bag of results so far, finishing the league round with three wins and three losses, on the sixth place, dropping matches against both Israel and Finland, two of the Final Four participating teams.
But in Brno, Czechia might rely on Marek Šotola, Halkbank Ankara’s star, one of the most consistent scorers in this season’s CEV Champions League Men, as Šotola is slowly returning to fitness after an injury.

“It is clear that he was without a match, load and training for six weeks. His return is gradual and I cannot say today whether we will be able to fully use him this weekend," revealed the coach of Czechia, Jiří Novák.

In the other semi-final, Finland and Greece, two other unexpected Final Four participants, will be pit together, as both have already tasted a final in the CEV Volleyball European Golden League Men.

Both sides had five wins and one loss, but Greece had 16 points, one more than Finland, which meant that they finished second. Nevertheless, the two teams were always going to play against each other in the semi-final, after Finland finished third, tied on points with Romania, but with a better set ratio.

Greece and Finland met in the last week of the league round, when Greece took a 3:1 win in Nokia, Finland, after dropping the first set. 

The two semi-finals will take place on Saturday, 5 July, at 16:00 and 19:00 CEST, with the bronze medal match scheduled on 6 July, at 16:00 CEST and the big final at 19:00 CEST.