Sweden ready to lock horns with Slovenia in #EuroLeagueW Finals

Sweden and Slovenia will lock horns for the first time on Wednesday in Örebro – for the first of two matches where the #EuroLeagueW title will be at stake. Both teams are yet to suffer a single loss in the competition and therefore the one or the other’s winning streak will end. Slovenia, in particular, are yet to drop a single set since they started their journey in early June. Sweden, on the other hand, had to work hard in their semi-final matches with Hungary. 

“I expect an even, tough match,” Sweden setter Vilma Julevik said ahead of Wednesday’s matchup. She noted that Slovenia is a strong, fast-rising team that also had an impressive World Championship last year, reaching the Round of 16. Julevik, who missed the World Championship through injury but has shown strong form throughout the European League, said she feels further along than expected but continues working on her physical conditioning. On what could give Sweden the edge, she said: “In the end, it is about our own game and sticking to our plan.” 

The entire Swedish national team has taken clear steps forward in every match since the squad gathered in mid-May. This was especially evident in the semi-final against Hungary, where the team turned a clear deficit into a 3-2 away win in the first match, and afterwards recorded a 3-1 victory at home. A clear statement of the team’s ability, and something Sweden will carry into the first final. Slovenia arrives at Idrottshuset in Örebro without having lost a single set. Sweden has so far dropped four sets - one against Austria in the League Round and three against Hungary across two tough semi-final matches. Even looking at the European Ranking, the two teams are very close, with Sweden currently in tenth place while Slovenia sit just behind in eleventh.

There are clear similarities between the two finalists. Both have made a rapid rise in recent years – and both are currently led by Italian head coaches. Slovenia’s Alessandro Orefice is known for structured, patient play where focus rarely slips, regardless of the opponent. Orefice was pleased with securing the final spot: “I am very happy with the intensity the team continues to show, especially now that every opponent is pushing us harder. I am satisfied, but of course we want more,” he said after the semis with Slovakia.

The team’s key players are 20-year-old Maša Pucelj – an outside hitter and often the team’s top scorer – setter Eva Pavlović Mori, and Fatoumatta Sillah, a wing spiker capable of deciding matches against higher-ranked opponents. There is also an interesting match-within-the-match, as club teammates Isabelle Haak and Fatoumatta Sillah from Italian top club Imoco Volley Conegliano face each other for once.

The individual player statistics for the tournament may point to a slight edge for Sweden, who hold top positions in several categories. Isabelle Haak, unsurprisingly, leads in points won, kills, and aces, while both Vilma Julevik and Hilda Gustafsson are among the leaders in setter efficiency for the tournament. It will be interesting to see how Slovenia handles a Swedish team applying real pressure, especially in front of a packed house at Idrottshuset.

Head coach Lorenzo Micelli praises the home crowd’s role in the semi-final win over Hungary: “They gave us a positive feeling, so it was great to share our joy with them, and we are looking forward to even more fans this time. The girls have also shown that they deserve the support of the seventh player.” He added that while the team wants to win the final and secure valuable ranking points, the work is also long-term, with the upcoming EuroVolley a key milestone. “We are developing our system of play day by day, and we have made great progress since coming together in May. We have the right attitude and will do everything we can to disrupt our opponents. The matches against Hungary were a stress test that showed our ability to manage our own mistakes and turn deficits into wins – but we also have great respect for Slovenia’s capabilities in the matches ahead.” 

The return match is played in Slovenia on Saturday evening. If each team wins one match, everything will be decided in a Golden Set to 15 points to determine this year’s European League winners.