Finland edge Greece in five-set thriller to reach EuroVolley quarterfinals

The CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 Men knockout stage got underway in Torino on Sunday, with two eighthfinals on the schedule at Palavela. Co-hosts Finland became the first team to book their place in the quarterfinals after edging Greece in a thrilling five-set battle, with the Marttila brothers and Joonas Jokela leading the way. Later today, Italy will take on Denmark for the second quarterfinal ticket.

Finland vs Greece 3-2 (22-25, 25-16, 22-25, 25-23, 15-13)

The clash between Finland, who finished second in Pool C, and Greece, who placed third in Pool A, kicked off the playoff stage in Torino. Finland had a chance to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2013, while for Greece, a victory would secure their best EuroVolley result since 1987, when they reached the semifinals. 

Greece opened the match with confidence, racing to a 5-1 lead with Angelos Markou at the service line. Markou was also their leading contributor in attack, scoring seven points in the set at a 67% success rate. Greece maintained a comfortable advantage up to 14-7, but Finland, powered by Joonas Jokela and the Marttila brothers, began to fight their way back. An ace from Luka Marttila reduced the deficit to just one point at 21-20, putting Greece under pressure. Head coach Konstantinos Christofidelis called a timeout, and his team responded in the closing stages, eventually sealing the set 25-22 after a decisive spike from Markou.

In the second set, Finland worked hard at the net to race to a 4-1 lead. The block became their most effective weapon, as they scored six points in this element in the set, maintaining their advantage at beginning of the set (7-3). Although Greece tried to reduce the deficit, Finland remained firmly in control, holding an 18-11 lead. Nooa Marttila led the way with seven points in the set, including six kills at a 60% success rate. Joonas Jokela, who contributed three blocks, and Mika Haapaniemi, with two, were particularly effective at the net, making it difficult for Greece to find a way through. Finland remained composed in the closing stages and confidently sealed the set 25-16 to level the match.

In Set 3, Markou once again led Greece with a strong service run (including one ace) as the Hellenic side raced to an early 4-1 lead. Luka Marttila and Joonas Jokela tried to spark Finland’s comeback, and after an ace from Severi Savonsalmi, the Finns reduced the deficit to just one point at 8-7. After a tight battle, Greece restored their four-point advantage at 15-11. Finland, led by the Marttila brothers - Luka with five points and Nooa with six - continued to fight their way back, cutting the gap to 15-13. Greece responded through Markou and Alexandros Raptis to maintain control at 18-14. Two consecutive aces from Nooa Marttila brought Finland within touching distance at 19-18, but Greece held their nerve in the decisive stages, relying on an excellent attacking performance that saw them achieve a 73% success rate. Raptis led the way with eight kills at 80% success, while Markou was flawless with four kills from four attempts. Greece eventually closed out the set 25-22 after a decisive spike from Lampros Pitakoudis, moving to within one set of a historic place in the quarterfinals.

With no more room for mistakes, Finland played with great focus, producing a tight battle with Greece from the very beginning, with the teams level at 10-10 in the fourth set. Neither side was able to gain a significant advantage as they exchanged powerful spikes from both sides of the net. In the middle of the set, consecutive spikes from Luka Marttila and Joonas Jokela helped Finland move 16-13 ahead. The Hellenic side responded immediately, however, scoring three points in a row through Angelos Markou and Athanasios Protopsaltis to level the score once again. Just when it looked as though Greece were heading strongly towards victory, Finland continued to apply pressure. Two missed spikes from Markou in the closing stages proved costly, allowing Finland to seal the set 25-23 and force a deciding fifth set.

Finland carried their momentum into the deciding set, taking an early 3-1 lead as Greece struggled to rediscover their rhythm. Powered by the Marttila brothers, Finland extended their advantage to 7-4, but Greece refused to give up, fighting back to level the score at 7-7 through Pitakoudis and Protopsaltis.

A nail-biting battle then unfolded, with every point fiercely contested. Finland, led by Joonas Jokela and Luka Marttila, who both contributed four points in the decider, eventually prevailed. Luka Marttila delivered the decisive attack to seal the set 15-13 and send Finland into the quarterfinals.

The Marttila brothers topped the scoring charts with 21 points - Nooa recorded three aces, one block and 17 kills at a 46% success rate, while Luka had 19 kills at 51% success and two aces. Joonas Jokela contributed 20 points, including six blocks, while also achieving a 54% success rate in attack. For Greece, Angelos Markou also finished with 20 points.