Although the fate of some of the teams, including the Bulgarian one, is not yet definitively decided before the last round of the Nations League, one outcome is already a fact – the Netherlands is relegated from the elite group. This means that next season, the “Oranje” will not be part of the most prestigious international tournament.
The Dutch national team disappointed from the very first whistle in this year's edition. The absence of star Nimir Abdel-Aziz, as well as several key players, led to a collapse in confidence and rhythm for the "Oranje." The team's weak performances put them in a direct battle for survival with Serbia – another traditionally strong team, which, however, is also going through a difficult period of generational change.
The drama unfolded on Saturday when the Serbs faced Canada at the net and prevailed with a 3:1 victory. Their win secured valuable points, with which they jumped to 15th place in the table, overtaking Turkey and China. With this, they definitively eliminated the Netherlands from the battle for salvation. Currently, the Serbs have 3 wins and 8 losses – a record that is already unattainable for the "Oranje," regardless of the outcome of their last match.
Thus, the Dutch remain with only 5 points, a game balance of 11:31, and only one remaining match – against Italy, the vice-champions in the table and already confirmed finalists in Ningbo. This further complicates the task for the Netherlands, which, even if they win, cannot save themselves.
Important clarification: China, although also at the bottom of the standings, will play in the final phase as the host of the final tournament. Turkey, on the other hand, already has two more victories than the Netherlands and also remains in the elite.
For the Dutch, this is a moment of painful sobering up. After several seasons in which they had established themselves as dangerous opponents, especially with Nimir in the squad, they will have to build a new path to return among the best.
🔚 For now, their journey in the Nations League ends.
photo:volleyballworld.com
