ISTANBUL – Italy has reached the final of the European Championships. At the Sinan Erdem Sports Hall in Istanbul, Julio Velasco's Italian team defeated Poland 3-1 (25-19, 25-19, 21-25, 25-16) and earned the right to challenge Turkey for the continental title, which defeated Serbia 3-0 in 86 minutes in the first semifinal of the day.
This will be Italy's sixth European final in their history, following those played in 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2021. Five years after winning gold in Belgrade against Serbia, the national team returns to compete for the continental title, and it does so at the end of a run that, so far, has known no defeat: eight matches and eight victories.
The victory in Istanbul also adds special significance to the match against Poland. It was against Stefano Lavarini's team, on May 14, 2024, in Ankara, that Italy suffered its last defeat against a European national team, a 0-3 defeat in the Volleyball Nations League, which coincided with Julio Velasco's first competitive match after returning to the Italy bench. Since then, Italy's run against European teams has continued uninterrupted: with today's victory, the streak has risen to 39 consecutive victories.
Qualifying for the final also marks a first for Julio Velasco. He becomes the first coach to reach the European Championship final in both the men's and women's tournaments. With the Italian men's team, Velasco reached the final four times, in 1989, 1991, 1993, and 1995, winning three gold medals.
The Italian women's volleyball team is targeting its fourth European title in Italy's history, following those of 2007, 2009, and 2021, but also the chance to complete something even rarer: Italy is currently the reigning Olympic and World champion, and by winning the European Championship, it would become the second national team in women's volleyball history to simultaneously hold the Olympic, World, and European titles, after the Soviet Union.
For the semifinal against Poland, coach Julio Velasco has lined up Orro as setter, Egonu as opposite hitter, Antropova and Sylla as spikers, Danesi and Fahr as centers, and Fersino as libero. Italy dominated for long stretches of the semifinal, displaying solidity in all fundamentals and finding their blocking skills, above all, to be a key weapon in containing the Polish attack. Poland managed to respond and take a set, but the Italians quickly regained control. In the fourth set, Italy once again set the pace, stifling Lavarini's team's attempted comeback, and completing a commanding performance. Egonu, Antropova, and Sylla were extraordinary, Orro a masterful setter, Danesi and Fahr astonishing, and Fersino was everywhere in the midcourt both defending and receiving. The introduction of those who came on during the match deserves praise.
