Czechia and Croatia remain unbeaten, as Final Four looms

Only two teams are still perfect, with four wins out of four matches in the CEV Volleyball European Golden League 2024 this season, as Czechia and Croatia improved their overall winning streak last weekend, with the tickets for the Final Four in Croatia still undecided before the final week of the league round this week.

Croatia, which are already qualified to the business end of the competition, due to having the hosting rights, backed up their claim for the title with two more wins this weekend, in the most balanced tournament.

Hosted by Râmnicu Vâlcea in Romania, Croatia, Romania and Portugal engaged in hugely entertaining matches, with none of the three ending up in straight sets. First, Croatia disposed of hosts Romania, 3:1, by taking the first two sets, 25:23 and 25:22, losing the third one, 20:25, but coming back and dominating the fourth set, 25:22.

Against Portugal, Croatia also had issues, in a hard-fought match, but came out unscathed, once again taking the first two sets, losing the third, but bouncing back to clinch a 25:22 win in the fourth, and also taking the points.

On the other hand, Romania lost both matches, but their 2:3 loss against Portugal might be especially damaging, as they chances of progression to the next phase are slim to none, having one win and three losses so far in the competition.

Czechia have been nothing short of superb in Tournament 5, as they started with a 3:0 (25:17; 25:13; 25:22) win against hosts Luxembourg, preparing for the match against previously unbeaten Ukraine.

As opposite Patrik Indra had 23 points and outside spiker Lukas Vasina added 18 points, Czechia took the first set, 25:22, lost the second, 23:25, but were superb in the other two, taking the next two sets 25:15 and 25:22, on their way to their fourth win and the first place in the league round.

With the next tournament on their home court, where they meet Finland and Romania, Czechia are in a primed position to clinch the Final Four berth.

As the last tournaments will take place this weekend, in the third week of the league round, Ukraine and Portugal, both with three wins and one loss, are sitting third and fourth, but Spain, Belgium, Finland and Estonia all have two wins and two losses so far.

Belgium have won both matches, 3:0 against Azerbaijan and 3:2 against North Macedonia, but are due to play against Portugal and Ukraine in Tarnow, Poland, while Spain, Estonia and Finland all shared wins in Gijon, Spain, hampering their chances to progress to the Final Four.

Austria throw off their campaign in style

The second tournament of the CEV Volleyball European Silver League 2024 took place in the og Samkomuholl Hall in Tórshavn, the Faroe Islands, with the hosts, Iceland and Austria featuring in the three matches.

Having made their debut in the competition, Austria swept their opponents in straight sets, with some excellent displays. First, they had issues against Iceland, but overcame them to clinch a 3:0 win (25:20; 25:23; 25:19), while dominating against the hosts, Faroe Islands, 25:18; 25:16; 25:13.

Austria now tied Israel on the first place, with two wins in straight sets, and will face them in North Macedonia on 2 June, in the third week of the competition. The Faroe Islands also secured a 3:0 win against Iceland, but it certainly looks like the final will be played between Austria and Israel on 15 June.