Team Slovenian begin EuroVolley preparations
News
The Slovenian women’s national team has reconvened in Ljubljana following the conclusion of the European League, where they have begun preparations for their fourth appearance at the CEV EuroVolley.
Head coach Alessandro Orefice’s squad has already spent more than two months together in national team activities. Following the preparation period, the team competed in the European League throughout June and July, finishing first in the League Round without dropping a single set. Their victories over Georgia, Montenegro, Iceland, Latvia, North Macedonia, and Croatia secured their place in the semi-finals. They then defeated Slovakia twice in straight sets to reach the final, ultimately claiming the silver medal after narrowly losing to Sweden in two thrilling five-set matches.
After a few days of rest, the team reconvened in Ljubljana on Wednesday, July 22, to begin preparations for the CEV EuroVolley 2026. With Slovenia drawn into Pool A, they will face hosts Türkiye, Latvia, Poland, Germany and Hungary for a place in the knockout stage.
At this year’s European Championship, Slovenia’s head coach Alessandro Orefice will be without young libero Emi Jurič, who will begin her first season abroad in the American collegiate league. Mija Šiftar and Eva Zatković will also focus on their club commitments during the remainder of the national team season.
Alongside the regular members of the squad and Žana Godec, who has rejoined the team, Orefice has also invited four young players to join the preparations - Tara Mikša, Pija Cvijič, Asija Begić and Hana Rizvić. At the start of preparations, he said: “We took a few days off to recover and recharge both physically and mentally, and we have now returned to the sports hall with great energy and the right attitude. I am very pleased that Fatoumatta Sillah has recovered from her injury and is already back in training. Both she and our medical staff have done an excellent job during her rehabilitation. Now, less than one month before the European Championship and our opening match, we have come together again full of ambition, ready to work and to compete. We were not particularly lucky, but that is the beauty of Volleyball - you have to live in the moment, because every single rally can change the course of a match, and that is an important lesson for our team. Despite Sillah’s injury, we have to learn as much as possible from the European League final in order to improve. Unfortunately, this time the momentum was not on our side. Even so, we achieved a historic result by winning our first-ever medal in a competition of this level, which certainly carries great significance and value. It is important that we focus on the positives. Thanks to our strong performances throughout the European League, we earned 21 points in the FIVB World Ranking, which is another excellent achievement.”
Although the first part of the national team season ended with some disappointment, the Slovenian players have begun this new preparation cycle with renewed energy and a clear objective - to be in the best possible shape for EuroVolley. Experienced setter Eva Pavlović Mori reflected on the European League: “Of course, there was some disappointment at the end of the first part of the season because we wanted to win the gold medal. Nevertheless, winning our first medal is a very good achievement and an important step forward. We had about a week off and have returned with fresh energy. We need to make the most of these weeks so that we are fully prepared for the European Championship and can show what we are capable of.”
During the four-week preparation period, Slovenia will also play friendly matches against Slovakia and Türkiye’s B national team to maintain their competitive rhythm and continue building team chemistry. Outside hitter Lorena Lorber Fijok said:
“We have four weeks to prepare, and we need to use them to further develop the system we have been building during the first half of the season. There is definitely still room for improvement, and it is up to us to make the most of this time and be fully ready for the upcoming European Championship.”
Slovenia will play the opening matches of EuroVolley in Istanbul, which, together with Brno, will also host the Round of 16 and quarterfinals. The Turkish metropolis will then stage the semi-finals and final, where the four best teams will compete for the European title, with the hosts aiming to defend their crown from 2023.