The French national team is in Chicago with the clear goal of qualifying for the final tournament of the Volleyball Nations League in Ningbo, but the task for the Olympic champions will be anything but easy. This is clear from an article on the official website of the French Volleyball Federation.
Andrea Giani's team occupies 12th place after the first eight matches with a balance of 4 wins and 4 losses. In the last week of the preliminary phase, they await clashes against Brazil, China, Poland, and Bulgaria. The French are aware that they practically have no room for error if they want to find a place among the participants in the final tournament. Due to China's hosting in Ningbo, only the first seven teams in the final standings will secure a spot in the Final Eight.
Trevor Clévenot, who is recovering from an ankle injury sustained at the end of June in Orléans, will not be in the squad. Antoine Pothron has been included in his place, and after an absence due to a herniated disc, opposite hitter Théo Faure returns to the group.
"We know that the level in the VNL is extremely high and the spots for the final tournament are very valuable. The group awaiting us is very strong. To be completely sure of our qualification, we must win all our matches. With three wins, it might also happen, but then we would depend on other results," Faure stated.
The very first match will be a serious test, as France faces Brazil, who is also pursuing a spot in the Final Eight. This will be followed by matches against China, who is fighting to stay in the Nations League, against Poland, who is among the leaders in the standings, and on the last day, the French will meet Bulgaria.
The article from the French Federation specifically notes that the match against the current vice-world champion Bulgaria will mark the end of the tournament for "Les Bleus" and could prove decisive for their qualification.
Théo Faure admits he was disappointed to have missed the first two weeks of the tournament due to his injury but is impressed by the team's development.
"It was tough for me not to be with the team from the start of the VNL. However, it was clear how much the team grew between the first week in Canada and the tournament in Orléans. This shows that the work is paying off," said the Trentino opposite hitter.
According to him, the young French nationals already have the necessary experience because they play in major European clubs and have known each other very well since their youth national teams.
"It's important to qualify for the final tournament. This will help in building this squad and provide valuable experience before the European Championship in September, where similar knockout matches are invaluable," Faure concluded.
France squad for the tournament in Chicago:
Setters:Antoine Brizard, Amir Tizi-Oualou.
Opposite Hitters:Stephen Boyer, Théo Faure.
Outside Hitters:Mathis Enard, Thomas Pujol, Noa Duflo-Rossi, Antoine Pothron.
Middle Blockers:Moussé Gueye, François Huetz, Simon Magnin, Daniel Ijegbedeke.
Liberos:Benjamin Diez, Luca Ramon.

Photo:volleyballworld.com