The Portuguese men’s volleyball team faced a tough challenge this Saturday, falling 3-2 to Romania. This match, played in Romania’s home court, marked the first of three warm-up games for the squad. These matches are crucial steps before the 2025 World Championship.
The contest in Bucharest was a real nail-biter. Romania managed to edge out Portugal with set scores of 24-26, 25-18, 25-21, 17-25, and a decisive 15-9 in the final set. Portugal’s starting lineup featured Filip Cveticanin, Miguel Tavares Rodrigues, Lourenço Martins, Kelton Tavares, José Pinto, and Nuno Marques. Ivo Casas played a key role as the libero.
Coach João José utilized his bench throughout the game. He brought in Guilherme Menezes, Tiago Violas, André Pereira, Rafael Santos, and Gonçalo Sousa, who also served as a libero. This allowed many players to get important court time.
Filip Cveticanin saw the positive side despite the loss. “Honestly, after the long journey we had, this game, even with a five-set defeat, was very good,” he explained. He highlighted the tough travel and player fatigue. Cveticanin also mentioned the challenge of balancing weight training with ball practice. He felt the team still played a “very solid and very good” game.
Portugal and Romania will clash again on Sunday and Monday. These remaining matches are vital for Portugal’s preparation. The team is getting ready for its return to the World Championship stage.
The 2025 World Championship kicks off on September 12 in the Philippines and runs until September 28. Portugal is set to compete in Group D during the first phase. They will face strong opponents in the United States, Cuba, and Colombia.
