2020 Men

Team Previews

#RoadtoTokyo

Article Sat, Jan 4 2020

The CEV Tokyo European Qualification on the men's side brings 8 of the best teams not just in Europe, but in the world, to Berlin to compete for one last spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Here are the biggest questions for each team, as well as who we think will be the first 7 players to see the court when the tournament begins on January 5th.

Serbia

Will the Serbian team play to their talent level? I don’t think there is a question that, on paper, Serbia has the most talented roster participating in the CEV Tokyo qualifier. Almost all of their starters are playing on the most competitive clubs in Europe, like Aleksander Atanasijevic and Marko Podrascanin on Perugia, and Srecko Lisinac on Trentino. However, they had struggled in major competitions playing up to their potential until their recent EuroVolley2019 gold medal performance. If they can ride that wave of confidence into this week’s tournament, even without middle blocker Aleksander Okolic, they will have a good shot at Tokyo 2020.

Key Reserves
Drazen Luburic | 202cm Opposite | Belogrie Belgorod
Petar Krsmanovic | 205cm Middle Blocker | Gas Sales Piacenza

France

Can this team of stars finally play their best in a major tournament? After a period of great success in the middle of the decade, including a EuroVolley 2015 gold medal and world league victories in 2015 and 2017, France has struggled to recapture that success. They were close this fall, narrowly missing a medal at EuroVolley 2019, but lost 3-0 to Poland in the previous Olympic Qualifier. France has some of the biggest stars of volleyball on their roster, such as Earvin Ngapeth, Ben Toniutti, and Kevin Le Roux, and despite some of their recent falters they are still among the favourites to advance. However, they will have to do so without two of their top players: Stephen Boyer and Trevor Clevenot.

Starting 7

Slovenia

Can Slovenia replicate their historic run from EuroVolley2019? Despite not playing in volleyball nations league (until next year) and only a 12^th place finish at the 2018 world championship, Slovenia was able to knock out two volleyball powerhouses in Poland and Russia in their silver medal performance in EuroVolley2019. They have standout talent at every position, and don’t have many weaknesses, but don’t have a star like Earvin Ngapeth or Uros Kovacevic to rely on. However, their balanced team play could result in another big run. There is just one problem. The team they lost to in EuroVolley2019, Serbia, is also participating in the tournament.

Key Reserves
Gregor Ropret | 191cm Setter | Nantes Rezé Métropole
Mitja Gasparini | 202cm Opposite | Wolf Dogs Nagoya

Bulgaria

How will Bulgaria mix old and young generations? After a strong start to the decade followed by a period of stagnation in the later parts of the 2010s, there is a mix of young and old players participating in the CEV Tokyo Olympic qualifiers. Veterans like captain Viktor Yosifov and libero Teodor Salparov are holdovers from Bulgaria’s earlier success but will have to accommodate rising stars like Martin Atanasov and Aleks Grozdanov into the game plan. If they manage to do this successfully though, this team’s unparalleled blocking ability and power play from all 5 attackers could make them a contender for a spot in Tokyo 2020.

Key Reserves
Aleks Grozdanov | 206cm Middle Blocker | Consar Ravenna
Todor Skrimov | 191cm Outside Hitter | Enisey Krasnoyarsk

Germany

Will Germany capitalize on their only chance to qualify for Tokyo 2020? Despite ranking highly in European competition, Germany did not have the required international ranking points to play in the intercontinental qualifying tournaments in summer 2019. Due to this quirk, the hosts have this tournament in Berlin as their only chance for an Olympic ticket. They are sporting a starting lineup that has been dominant in club play so far this season, with Fromm and Kampa dominating the Plusliga and Champions League on Jastrzębski Węgiel, while Grozer and Böhme play leading roles on their respective Russian teams. Germany may only have one chance, but it is a good one.

Key Reserves
Julian Zenger | 190cm Libero | Berlin Recycling Volleys
Denys Kaliberda | 193cm Outside Hitter | Leo Shoes Modena

Belgium

Will the team be able to bounce back from their defeat to Ukraine? As one of the hosts of EuroVolley2019 coming off of a top 10 finish at the 2018 world championships, Belgium had high expectations in the European Championships. And through the group stage, they were meeting them, only falling to the eventual champions Serbia. However, when they met a young, energized Ukranian team in the eighth-finals, they fell in 5 sets. Out of system attacking was the issue in that game, as Belgium’s starting wings only had a 14% hitting efficiency and got blocked 12 times. Captain Sam Deroo will have to keep his team composed if they want a chance at a spot for Tokyo 2020.

The Netherlands

Will the team provide enough support for star opposite Nimir Abdel-Aziz? Despite hosting events both for the FIVB Tokyo Volleyball Qualification and EuroVolley2019, the Dutch team did not manage to make it through either event. The team has fielded a mix of veterans like middle blocker Michael Parkinson and players who have just begun their professional volleyball career like setter Gijs Van Solkema. The engine of their offense has been opposite Nimir Abdel-Aziz, the leading scorer in the competitive Italian League. The whole team will need to step up if they want a chance to make it to Tokyo.

Key Reserves
Wessel Keemink | 197cm Setter | OK Budva
Wouter Ter Maat | 200cm Outside Hitter| Fenerbahçe Istanbul

Czech Republic

Can the Czech Republic compete without their two biggest stars? As the last ranked team in the qualifier, the Czech team is not expected to be filled with stars. However, in the last few tournaments they have leaned especially hard on two players to generate points for them: lanky, young outside hitter Donovan Dzavoronok and heavy-hitting opposite Jan Hadrava. Both are stars of their club teams in Italy and Poland respectively, but both players will not be joining the Czech team for this tournament. The middles will need to generate more offense if the Czech Republic wants a surprise win in a pool full of tough blockers.

Key Reserves
Daniel Pfeffer | 184cm Libero | VK ČEZ Karlovarsko

Eight top teams race for one last spot in Tokyo 2020

Team Previews

#RoadtoTokyo