Belgian Red Dragons start EuroVolley 2023 with clash against World Champion Italy

Two weeks after the start of the women's EuroVolley 2023, the men's European Volleyball Championship starts on Monday. The tournament will be held in Italy, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Israel. Belgium has a tough task ahead of it: the Red Dragons will start against reigning European and world champions Italy.

Coached by Italian Emanuele Zanini, the Dragons then face Serbia, the winners of Euro 2019, on 31 August. They will play their final three group matches against Germany on 3 September, Estonia on 5 September and Switzerland on 6 September. The top four teams in each group will advance to the round of 16.

Belgium's chances of winning the tournament are slim. In 2021, they were knocked out in the first round after winning just one of their five matches. This summer, they won two of their six matches in the Golden European League. Their best result was fourth place in Poland in 2017.

The men's EuroVolley kicks off as the women's European Volleyball Championship enters its final days, with the quarter-finals starting on Tuesday. Both the semi-finals and the final will be played in Brussels. Belgium made it through the group stage but were knocked out by Turkey last Sunday.

^{Belgium's Mathijs Desmet in action during the Golden European League © BELGA PHOTO VIRGINIE LEFOUR}