Poland is the favorite in the match against Portugal in the 2023 Volleyball Championship

The Reds and Whites are certain favorites in the clash with the Portuguese, weakened by the lack of experienced playmaker Miguel Tavares. The match between Poland and Portugal starts at 15.00 Polish time.

Portugal has been without success for years

Portugal, the third highest ranked of the Poles' rivals in group B (26th place in the FIVB ranking), achieved its greatest success in the European Championship in... 1948, when it took fourth place. In the previous edition, she reached the 1/8 finals.

However, coach Joao Jose's team has since undergone reconstruction and, as the coach himself says, it is no longer based on a solid core of the team, but on a combination of experience and youth. The goal of the Portuguese team is to fight on equal terms with each of the group rivals.

However, the team from the Iberian Peninsula will enter the tournament weakened, as it will be without Tavares, well-known from the Polish top league, who plays the current Polish champion Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie.

However, the team included another volleyball player known from the Polish league - Alexandre Ferreira, who played in Zawiercie and Lublin in the past.

The last time Poles competed with the Portuguese was in the European Championships in 2021. Then, also in the group phase, the White and Reds won 3:1.

Poland is the main favorite

Coach Nikola Grbic's players are one of the main favorites of this year's edition of the European championship, as they not only defend the title, but also enter the competition as the current winners of the Nations League. They were in a similar situation three years ago, also in Bulgaria and Italy - first they won the LN, and two months later they became European champions for the second time in history.

The co-organizers of the European Championship are Finland, Romania, Bulgaria, where the Poles will play the group and knockout phases up to the quarterfinals in Sofia, and Italy, which will host the decisive matches in Milan.

Group B match program (Sofia)

September 9, Wednesday

Bulgaria - North Macedonia 3:0 (25:17, 25:19, 25:18)

10/09, Thursday

Poland - Portugal (15)

Israel - Ukraine (18)

11/09, Friday

Ukraine - North Macedonia (15)

Portugal - Bulgaria (18)

12/09, Saturday

Poland - Israel (15)

Bulgaria - Ukraine (18)

13/09, Sunday

Portugal - Israel (15)

Poland - North Macedonia (18)

14/09, Monday

Ukraine - Portugal (15)

Bulgaria - Israel (18)

15/09, Tuesday

North Macedonia - Portugal (15)

Poland - Ukraine (18)