Poland secured its third European Volleyball Championship title by defeating France 3-1 at the Forum of Assago in Milan, with set scores of 31-29, 25-19, 20-25, and 25-16. Guided by Nikola Grbic, the Polish squad added this continental crown to previous titles won in 2009 and 2023, overcoming a French side that entered the match as reigning Olympic champions.
### A Hard-Fought Opening Set Sets the Tone
The championship match opened with intense back-and-forth play as Poland attempted to establish control through the attacking of Leon. France stayed within striking distance as Brizard distributed the ball effectively to the central blockers, and Henno contributed crucial defensive plays to level the score at 16-16.
Both teams squandered opportunities to close out the frame, including a Polish challenge that overturned a touch at the net during a tense sequence. Poland ultimately gained the upper hand at the block, securing a 4-1 advantage in blocking points for the set. Following a 29-29 deadlock, Leon stopped a French attack and Komenda secured the final point to close an exhausting opening set 31-29 for Poland, despite France recording a higher attacking percentage at 55% compared to Poland’s 51%.
### Poland Extends Lead in Set Two
The momentum from the prolonged first set carried into the second, affecting French reception and boosting Polish confidence. Poland capitalized on early errors from the Blues to build a comfortable advantage, stretching the margin to six points before pulling ahead 17-7.
Though France attempted a late rally, the deficit proved too large to overcome, and Poland comfortably secured the second set 25-19. Lemanski delivered a flawless performance in the frame with a 100% attacking record, converting three kills alongside two blocks and one ace, while Leon contributed another five points to the tally.
### France Responds in Set Three
Refusing to surrender the match, France rebounded strongly in the third set by shoring up their reception and asserting dominance at the net. Head coach Andrea Giani watched his side jump out to early leads of 7-3 and 12-6.
Nikola Grbic introduced Semeniuk from the bench to spark a Polish recovery, narrowing the deficit to three points. However, Gueye solidified the French defense with crucial blocks, anchoring a surge that pushed the advantage to 20-13. France maintained control through the remainder of the set, securing five set points before Henno converted the second to win 25-20 and force a fourth frame.
### Decisive Fourth Set Secures the Title
Poland quickly took the initiative in the fourth set to prevent any potential French comeback, utilizing superior fundamentals to pull away from their opponents. The French side struggled to maintain the high physical and tactical tempo required to stay competitive against the defending champions, allowing Poland to close out the set 25-16 and claim the 3-1 victory.
The victory marks Poland’s third European Championship in history, following their 2009 triumph and their 2023 win against Italy. For France head coach Andrea Giani, the result marks a third career defeat in a continental final, following previous losses while coaching Slovenia in 2015 and Germany in 2017.
Earlier in the day at the Forum of Assago, Finland defeated Fabio Soli’s Slovenia 3-0 in the third-place playoff, capturing the first European Championship medal in Finnish volleyball history.
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