The CEV Volleyball European Golden League 2025 Women`s season culminates this week with the Final Four in Ängelholm, Sweden, where a new champion will be crowned.
Defending champions Sweden have the opportunity to retain their title on home ground. They qualified for the Final Four by finishing third in the league standings with a strong record of five wins and one loss, concluding the initial phase impressively with four consecutive victories.
In the second semi-final, Sweden will face 2023 champions Ukraine. This match promises to be highly entertaining and intense, especially as the teams recently met in the final week of the league round, where Sweden secured a decisive 3:0 victory (25:20, 26:24, 25:19) in Radom, Poland.
Sweden`s coach, Lorenzo Micelli, praised his team: “The girls are fantastic. We share goals, and they understand clearly what we aim for. They are the source of the positive atmosphere around us. I`ve told them we`re in a kind of bubble, cultivating a strong sense of well-being and a positive mindset, which enables us to perform at our best.”
Both Sweden and Ukraine finished the league round with identical 5-1 records, winning 15 sets and losing 6. However, Ukraine held a slight edge with a better set point ratio (1.227 vs. Sweden`s 1.095) and one more point (15 vs. 14). Sweden, however, boasts a standout player in Isabelle Haak, the reigning MVP of the CEV Champions League Women, whom she led to victory with A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano last season.
Isabelle Haak is also the competition`s leading scorer, tied with Hungary`s Anett Nemeth, both accumulating 159 points over their six matches. Hungary enters the Final Four aiming for their first Golden League title since 2015.
To reach the final, Hungary must overcome Romania, who topped the league standings with an impressive 16 points, suffering only one loss and dropping just four sets overall. Interestingly, Romania`s sole defeat came at home in Blaj (2:3) against their upcoming semi-final opponent, Hungary.
Romania`s Adelina Ungureanu commented: “We are very motivated. We have a balanced team where experience perfectly complements the enthusiasm of our young players. Our confidence stems from both our performance in matches and our collective identity as a team.”
Romania is still seeking their first CEV Volleyball European Golden League Women title; their best previous finish was fourth place last season.
The semi-finals are scheduled for June 28th: Romania plays Hungary at 16:00 CEST, followed by Sweden vs. Ukraine at 19:00 CEST. The bronze medal match is on June 29th at 16:00 CEST, with the final for the title at 19:00 CEST.
Torin Vale