Portugal will play Group A of the European volleyball championship against hosts France, Italy, Bulgaria, Greece and Romania in the race from September 13-29, also in Belgium, the Netherlands and Slovenia.
Carlos Prata’s pupils are part of a complicated group, in which Italy stands out with six European titles – only Russia has more, nine -, four silver and three bronzes, in a total of 13 podiums in 30 editions.
France, which has the home-scoring factor, was the champion in 2015, was ‘vice’ four times and still won a bronze, emerging in sixth place in the medal.
Bulgaria was silver in 1951 and still won four bronzes, the last of which is 2009, while Greece was third in 1987.
Therefore, Portugal and Romania are the only formations of the ‘poule’ without any podium in the European.
The first four of each group are followed, with Portugal crossing with C, with Slovenia, Russia, Finland, Turkey, Macedonia and Belarus.
Russia is the reigning champions, while Germany is ‘vice’ and Serbia holds the bronze.
The selections of Montenegro and Macedonia are beginners.
Composition of groups:
– Group A (Montpellier, France).
France, Italy, Bulgaria, Portugal, Greece and Romania.
– Group B (Brussels and Antwerp, Belgium).
Belgium, Serbia, Germany, Slovakia, Spain and Austria.
– Group C (Ljubljana, Slovenia).
Slovenia, Russia, Finland, Turkey, Macedonia and Belarus.
– Grupo D (Rotterdam and Amsterdam, The Netherlands).
Holland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Ukraine and Montenegro.
