Serbia's men's volleyball team lost 0-3 to tournament hosts Finland at the European Championship, a result that stunned the 2019 champions and dropped them to fourth place in Group C.
Finland won 25-19, 25-21, 25-23. The defeat ended a promising start for coach Gheorghe Cretu's side, who had opened the tournament with a 3-1 win over Estonia and had appeared capable of testing Finland before their form fell apart.
Finland pull away in tight sets
Finland took the first three points of the opening set and Serbia struggled to respond. The only glimmer of hope came midway through the set, when Serbia clawed back to level at 14-14. Finland then surged again, building a six-point lead at 24-18 before closing out the set 25-19.
The second set began far better for Serbia. A five-point run from 5-6 gave them a solid lead, but the 2019 European champions could not hold it. Within a few minutes the score was level at 11-11, and Finland once again took control, winning the set 25-21.
The third set was Serbia's last chance to stay in the match. They started brilliantly, racing into a 15-9 lead, but again lost concentration. Finland clawed back point by point, leveling at 19-19 before pulling away to win 25-23 and complete the sweep.
Serbian media react
The defeat drew heavy criticism back home. The Serbian outlet nova.rs described it as a heavy defeat to Finland, saying it was unbelievable what happened. The rts.rs editorial team said the Finns were not being kind, with Serbia's players convincingly beaten. The outlet dnevnik.rs wrote of a heavy defeat and weak performance from the national team, saying Serbia's players had been outclassed by the tournament hosts.
Group C standings and what comes next
Serbia won their third European Championship title in 2019, but their form has dipped since, including a 12th-place finish at the 2026 Nations League that had left fans hoping for a stronger showing at this tournament.
The loss to Finland leaves Serbia fourth in Group C, the last position that still carries a place in the play-off phase. Serbia have played one match fewer than group leaders Finland and Denmark. Serbia's next match comes on Monday against the Netherlands.
