The French national men’s volleyball team will face Finland in the semifinals of the EuroVolley tournament on Friday, September 25, according to tournament reports. Les Bleus secured their place in the final four after a straight-sets victory against Romania, while Finland pulled off a stunning upset by eliminating tournament hosts Italy in a grueling five-set match.
According to reports from skiing and volleyball coverage platforms, the tournament’s most dramatic moment unfolded at the Palavela in Turin, where Finland defeated the heavily favored Italian side 3-2 (21-25, 28-26, 25-16, 20-25, 15-13).
On the opposite side of the bracket, Slovenia defeated Belgium 3–1 to book its own semifinal clash against Poland, as detailed in tournament schedules. The concluding matches of the European championship are hosted in Italy, with the semifinals scheduled at the Unipol Forum in Assago, Milan, on September 25.
France’s Path to the Semifinals
France entered the knockout stages following a dominant 3-0 quarterfinal win over Romania on September 22 in Sofia, Bulgaria, showcasing the form that established them as double Olympic champions. Speaking about the tournament trajectory, French opposite hitter Théo Faure emphasized the mental discipline required to advance through the elite European field.
« On est vraiment contents, on a super bien démarré, on a mis de l’intensité d’entrée, » Faure noted regarding the team’s opening intensity and focus. Reflecting on the challenge of playing top-tier opponents on foreign soil, he added, « Ils ont de bons serveurs, ils sont capables de faire des séries. Il fallait rester concentré. »
The French coaching staff oversees a 14-player roster packed with experience across Europe’s top professional leagues. The squad features setters Antoine Brizard, who plays for Osaka Bluteon in Japan, and Amir Tizi-Oualou of Modena in Italy. The outside hitter unit comprises Trévor Clevenot (Ziraat Ankara, Turkey), Antoine Pothron (Bełchatów, Poland), Mathis Henno (Perugia, Italy), and Noa Duflos-Rossi (Cisterna, Italy).
Defensively, liberos Benjamin Diez (Cannes) and Luca Ramon (Tours) anchor the back row, supported by a middle blocker rotation consisting of Moussé Gueye (Lublin, Poland), François Huetz (Tours), Daniel Iyegbekedo (Piacenza, Italy), and Simon Magnin (Poitiers).
Finland’s Stunning Upset in Turin
Italy entered the match as the undisputed favorite to lift the trophy on home turf, but unforced errors in the final sets handed momentum back to the Nordic side.
According to Olympic tournament coverage, the CEV EuroVolley 2026 brings together 24 national teams competing across venues in Italy, Bulgaria, Finland, and Romania from September 9 to September 26. Beyond continental glory, the winner of the tournament secures a direct quota spot for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028.
Match Schedule and Next Steps
The semifinal showdown between Finland and France will take place on Friday, September 25, at the Unipol Forum in Assago, near Milan. The winner will advance to the gold medal match on September 26, while the losing semifinalists contest the bronze medal fixture.
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