France secure second win with CEV President in attendance
CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 | Women
Pool D – France vs Croatia 3–0 (25–16, 25–17, 25–22)
France defeated Croatia 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-22) to secure their second victory in Pool D of the CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women. It was a match filled with long rallies and great teamwork. France’s Cyrielle Depié was the match’s top blocker, scoring five points from blocks.
The first set started with a long rally, setting the tone for the rest of the match. France came out on top in most of the extended exchanges. Croatia tried to interrupt France’s momentum with a timeout and substitutions, but the French side kept pushing forward. Cyrielle Depié scored six points in the opening set. At 17-11, Croatia called their second timeout, looking for a way to close the gap. However, France went on to win the set 25-16.
Much like the first set, the second saw both teams fighting for every point. Both sides remained persistent in defence and refused to give anything away without a fight. France gradually built a small lead, partly thanks to their serving pressure. Dabard-Selosse, Rotar, Depié and Sylves each served an ace for France, giving them a total of four aces in the set. France closed it out 25-17.
Both Croatia and France fought tooth and nail in the third set – Croatia pushing for a fourth set and France looking to secure their second 3-0 victory at the CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women. Midway through the set, France shifted gears and once again built a small lead. Croatia stayed close behind, with their defensive line led by libero Izabela Štimac. A powerful spike from France’s Amélie Rotar sealed the match at 25-22.
Amélie Rotar“We played a good game. From the beginning, we were aggressive and competitive. I’m really happy about this win.”
France outside hitter
Vedrana Jakšetić“Maybe we thought that we could go a little bit easier than in the first game, but in the end, it was not like that. So, this is a new lesson for next time – we always have to play strong, no matter who is on the other side.”
Croatia setter
The match between France and Croatia was attended by Roko Sikirić, CEV President, and Vuk Karanović, CEV Managing Director, who were joined by Annika Sjöberg, President of the Swedish Volleyball Federation and CEV Vice President, Simon Dahl, Secretary General of the Swedish Volleyball Federation, and Margaret Ann Fleming, CEV Jury President for the CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women.
Also watching the match were Eric Tanguy, President of the French Volleyball Federation and CEV Second Vice President, and Frane Žanić, President of the Croatian Volleyball Federation.
