The French national team will have to do without its main opposite spiker Jean Patry in the final phase of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), which starts this week in Ningbo, China. The 28-year-old player, a two-time Olympic champion, is forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a viral illness and will return to France.

France's group – without Patry, but with Théo Faure

Coach Andrea Giani will rely on a group of 13 volleyball players, with the main attacking burden falling on Théo Faure – the second highest scorer in the VNL with 225 points scored so far. The French, who won the title in the competition in 2022 and 2024, will face Slovenia in a quarter-final match on Thursday at 09:00 AM Bulgarian time.

🏐France squad for VNL 2025

(with club affiliation for the 2025/26 season)

🔁 Setters

• Benjamin Toniutti – Jastrzębski Węgiel (Poland)

• Antoine Brizard – Osaka Bluteon (Japan)

🛡️ Liberos

• Jenia Grebennikov – Zenit Saint Petersburg (Russia)

• Benjamin Diez – Padua (Italy)

🎯 Outside Hitters

• Trevor Clévenot – Ziraat Bankası Ankara (Turkey)

• Timothée Carle – Wolfdogs Nagoya (Japan)

• Yacine Louati – Asseco Resovia Rzeszów (Poland)

• Mathis Henno – Cuprum Stilon Gorzów (Poland)

🔨 Opposite Spiker

• Théo Faure - Itas Trentino (Italy)

🧱 Middle blockers

• Nicolas Le Goff - Montpellier (France)

• Moussa Geye - Piacenza (Italy)

• François Huetz - Düren (Germany)

• Barthélémy Chinenyeze - Fenerbahçe (Turkey)
  
  photo:volleyballworld.com