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. Starting 7

Uroš Kovačević | 197cm Outside Hitter | Itas Trentino

Nemanja Petric | 202cm Outside Hitter | Allianz Milano

Nikola Jovovic | 199cm Setter | Ural Ufa

Srecko Lisinac | 205cm Middle Blocker | Itas Trentino

Marko Podraščanin | 204cm Middle Blocker | Sir Safety Conad Perugia

Nikola Pekovic | 176cm Libero | Partizan Belgrade

Aleksander Atanasijevic | 200 cm Opposite | Sir Safety Conad Perugia 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 Earvin Ngapeth | 194cm Outside Hitter | Leo Shoes Modena

Kévin Tille | 200cm Outside Hitter | Verva Warszawa Orlen Paliwa

Ben Toniutti | 183cm Setter | Zaksa Kędzierzyn-Koźle

Kevin Le Roux | 209cm Middle Blocker |Beijing Baic Motors

Nicolas Le Goff | 206cm Middle Blocker |Berlin Recycling Volleys

Jenia Grebennikov | 188cm Libero | Cucine Lube Civitanova

Jean Patry | 207cm Opposite | Calzedonia Verona Key Reserves

Julien Lyneel | 192cm Outside Hitter| Jastrzębski Węgiel

Antoine Brizard | 196cm Setter| Verva Warszawa Orlen Paliwa

Barthélémy Chinenyeze | 204cm Middle Blocker| Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia

Slovenia Can Slovenia replicate their historic run from EuroVolley2019? Despite not playing in volleyball nations league (until next year) and only a 12th 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. Starting 7

Tine Urnaut | 200cm Outside Hitter | Shanghai Golden Age

Klemen Cebulj | 202cm Outside Hitter | Itas Trentino

Dejan Vincic | 200cm Setter | Cerrad Enea Czarni Radom

Jan Kozamernik | 205cm Middle Blocker | Allianz Milano

Alen Pajenk | 203cm Middle Blocker | Cerrad Enea Czarni Radom

Jani Kovacic | 186cm Libero | Consar Ravenna

Toncek Stern | 200 cm Opposite | BKS Visła Bydgoszcz 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. Starting 7

Rozalin Penchev | 202cm Outside Hitter | Belogorie Belgorod

Martin Atanasov | 200cm Outside Hitter | Chaumont Volleyball 52

Georgi Seganov | 198cm Setter | Halkbank Ankara

Viktor Yosifov | 205cm Middle Blocker | Vero Volley Monza

Svetoslav Gotsev | 205cm Middle Blocker | Ural Ufa

Teodor Salparov | 182cm Libero | Gazprom Surgrut

Tsvetan Sokolov | 206 cm Opposite | Zenit Kazan 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. Starting 7

Christian Fromm | 207cm Outside Hitter | Jastrzębski Węgiel

Ruben Schott | 192cm Outside Hitter | Trefl Gdańsk

Lukas Kampa | 193cm Setter | Jastrzębski Węgiel

Marcus Böhme | 212cm Middle Blocker | Dynamo LO

Tobias Krick | 211cm Middle Blocker | United Volleys Frankfurt

Markus Steuerwald | 182cm Libero | Vfb Friedrichshafen

György Grozer | 200 cm Opposite | Zenit St. Peterburg 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. Starting 7

Sam Deroo | 203cm Outside Hitter | Dynamo Moscow

Tomas Rousseaux | 199cm Outside Hitter | Resovia Rzeszów

Stijn D’Hulst | 187cm Setter | Cucine Lube Civitanova

Pieter Verhees | 205cm Middle Blocker |Aluron Virtu CMC Zawiercie

Simon Van de Vorde | 208cm Middle Blocker |Lindemans Aalst

Lowie Stuer | 194cm Libero | Arago de Sète

Bram Van den Dries | 208 cm Opposite | KB Insurance Stars Key Reserves

Matthias Valkiers | 194cm Setter | United Volleys Frankfurt

Hendrik Tuerlinckx | 195cm Opposite| Knack Roeselare

Igor Grobelny | 194cm Outside Hitter | Verva Warszawa Orlen Paliwa

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. Starting 7

Thijs Ter Horst | 204cm Outside Hitter | Consar Ravenna

Maarten Van Garderen | 200cm Outside Hitter | Top Volley Cisterna

Gijs Van Solkema | 193cm Setter | SVG Lüneberg

Michael Parkinson | 203cm Middle Blocker |Stade Poitevin Poitiers

Fabian Plak | 198cm Middle Blocker |CV Teruel

Just Dronkers | 187cm Libero | Greenyard Maaseik

Nimir Abdel-Aziz | 196cm Opposite | Calzedonia Verona Key Reserves

Wessel Keemink | 197cm Setter | OK Budva

Wouter Ter Maat | 200cm Outside Hitter| Fenerbahçe Istanbul