Zagreb, Croatia. The Croatian Volleyball fans can look forward to a very exciting start to the New Year when their men’s national team will be trying to secure their participation in CEV EuroVolley 2021 through a qualifier that is due to take place at Višnjik Sports Centre in Zadar. The local Krešimir Cosic Hall will be hosting EuroVolley qualifying matches from January 8 to 10, with hosts Croatia competing in Pool A along with the national teams of Sweden and the Netherlands. This tournament will surely be another good opportunity to promote Zadar and Croatia as recognised sports destinations.
“We are definitely expecting to secure a place in the next edition of the European Championship, where we have not competed since 2015. I hope that we will play well and that we will all gather healthy and ready. It means a lot to us to play the first round in Croatia since we will be doing so at home. We will be playing in Zadar for the first time. I am looking forward to it, because I have heard great things about the city and Višnjik!” says Team Croatia captain Tsimafei Zhukouski, who currently plays in the elite Russian national league for Fakel NOVY URENGOY.
Croatia and the Netherlands will open the programme of the tournament on January 8, before the Oranjes and Sweden lock horns the following day. Croatia and Sweden will play each other on January 10. The second round of the qualifier will take place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands from 15 to 17 January.
The Croatian national team has a chance to take a big step towards the European Championship, but Zhukouski is aware that they do not have an easy task ahead. “We have already played in big competitions with the Dutch and I can say that we have had a positive result against them – a national team with a great tradition. Their players play in the most competitive national leagues and it will be difficult, but also very interesting to play against them. Our second opponent is Sweden; they are a kind of enigma in our group, but of course we will not underestimate them and we will give our maximum and we will certainly be ready!”
The Croatian national team has a chance to take a big step towards the European Championship, but Zhukouski is aware that they do not have an easy task ahead. “We have already played in big competitions with the Dutch and I can say that we have had a positive result against them – a national team with a great tradition. Their players play in the most competitive national leagues and it will be difficult, but also very interesting to play against them. Our second opponent is Sweden; they are a kind of enigma in our group, but of course we will not underestimate them and we will give our maximum and we will certainly be ready!”
This competition is just one of the many Volleyball events that will take place in Zadar in the months ahead. MEVZA U18 (W) and U19 (M) zonal championships will be taking place from 28 to 30 December, MEVZA U16 (W) and U17 (M) will run at the same venue from 8 to 10 January, in May and June the European Women’s Golden League and the European Men’s Silver League are due to follow. The FIVB Women’s Challenger Cup in June will set the tone for the highlight of the year – the highly anticipated CEV EuroVolley 2021 Women in August, which Croatia will be co-hosting together with Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.
News:
CEV – European Volleyball
HOS – Croatian Volleyball Federation
