# 2015 Men's European Volleyball Championship

The 2015 Men's European Volleyball Championship was the 29th edition of the Men's European Volleyball Championship, organised by Europe's governing volleyball body, the CEV. It was held in Bulgaria and Italy from 9 to 18 October 2015. For the first time the competition had an official song; "Heroes" featuring vocals by Niki Bakalov.
France won their first title in the tournament by defeating Slovenia, which went to the final for the first time, in straight sets. Antonin Rouzier was elected the Most Valuable Player.

## Qualification

* Hosts
** Bulgaria
** Italy
* Top 5 teams of the 2013 edition directly qualified.
** Russia
** Serbia
** France
** Germany
** Belgium
* Qualified through the qualification.
** Belarus
** Croatia
** Czech Republic
** Estonia
** Finland
** Netherlands
** Poland
** Slovakia
** Slovenia

## Pools composition

The drawing of lots was held in Sofia, Bulgaria on 16 February 2015. First, the hosts and the team which was chosen by the hosts were seeded at the top of each pool. Then the next 4 teams which ranked highest in the previous edition were drawn. Finally, the other teams were drawn. Numbers in brackets denote the European ranking as of 25 September 2015.
| Pool A | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D |
| Bulgaria (5) | Italy (2) | Poland (4) | Russia (1) |
| Germany (6) | France (7) | Belgium (10) | Serbia (2) |
| Czech Republic (13) | Croatia (22) | Belarus (20) | Slovakia (9) |
| Netherlands (14) | Estonia (17) | Slovenia (11) | Finland (8) |

## Venues

| Pool A and Final round | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D, Playoffs and Quarterfinals |
| Sofia, Bulgaria | Turin, Italy | Varna, Bulgaria | Busto Arsizio, Italy |
| Armeets Arena | Torino Palavela | Palace of Culture and Sports | PalaYamamay |
| Capacity: 12,500 | Capacity: 8,300 | Capacity: 5,500 | Capacity: 5,000 |

## Pool standing procedure

* Number of matches won
* Match points
* Sets ratio
* Points ratio
* Result of the last match between the tied teams
Match won 3–0 or 3–1: 3 match points for the winner, 0 match points for the loser Match won 3–2: 2 match points for the winner, 1 match point for the loser

## Preliminary round

* All times in Bulgaria are Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+03:00) and all times in Italy are Central European Summer Time (UTC+02:00).

### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Bulgaria (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 2.250 | 292 | 273 | 1.070 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 1.333 | 317 | 305 | 1.039 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Germany | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 0.833 | 239 | 223 | 1.072 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Czech Republic | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 0.333 | 223 | 270 | 0.826 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 9 Oct | 17:30 | Czech Republic | 1–3 | Netherlands | 21–25 | 17–25 | 25–20 | 18–25 | | 81–95 | Report |
| 9 Oct | 20:30 | Bulgaria | 3–0 | Germany | 25–20 | 25–17 | 25–20 | | | 75–57 | Report |
| 10 Oct | 17:30 | Netherlands | 3–2 | Germany | 17–25 | 25–23 | 22–25 | 25–21 | 15–13 | 104–107 | Report |
| 10 Oct | 20:30 | Czech Republic | 2–3 | Bulgaria | 25–19 | 20–25 | 25–16 | 19–25 | 9–15 | 98–100 | Report |
| 11 Oct | 17:45 | Germany | 3–0 | Czech Republic | 25–14 | 25–14 | 25–16 | | | 75–44 | Report |
| 11 Oct | 20:45 | Netherlands | 2–3 | Bulgaria | 27–29 | 25–20 | 26–28 | 25–23 | 15–17 | 118–117 | Report |

### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | France | 3 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 3.000 | 282 | 237 | 1.190 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Italy (H) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 2.667 | 250 | 229 | 1.092 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Estonia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0.667 | 211 | 220 | 0.959 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Croatia | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0.000 | 169 | 226 | 0.748 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 9 Oct | 18:00 | Croatia | 0–3 | France | 24–26 | 14–25 | 22–25 | | | 60–76 | Report |
| 9 Oct | 21:00 | Italy | 3–0 | Estonia | 25–19 | 26–24 | 25–15 | | | 76–58 | Report |
| 10 Oct | 17:30 | France | 3–1 | Estonia | 25–13 | 25–22 | 22–25 | 25–18 | | 97–78 | Report |
| 10 Oct | 20:30 | Croatia | 0–3 | Italy | 22–25 | 21–25 | 19–25 | | | 62–75 | Report |
| 11 Oct | 15:00 | Estonia | 3–0 | Croatia | 25–19 | 25–18 | 25–10 | | | 75–47 | Report |
| 11 Oct | 18:00 | France | 3–2 | Italy | 23–25 | 21–25 | 25–19 | 25–17 | 15–13 | 109–99 | Report |

### Pool C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Poland | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 9.000 | 260 | 200 | 1.300 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Belgium | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 1.500 | 232 | 232 | 1.000 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Slovenia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 0.833 | 266 | 252 | 1.056 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Belarus | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0.000 | 151 | 225 | 0.671 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Total | Report |
| 9 Oct | 17:30 | Slovenia | 3–0 | Belarus | 25–12 | 25–21 | 25–17 | | 75–50 | Report |
| 9 Oct | 20:30 | Poland | 3–0 | Belgium | 25–18 | 29–27 | 25–16 | | 79–61 | Report |
| 10 Oct | 17:30 | Belarus | 0–3 | Belgium | 17–25 | 18–25 | 17–25 | | 52–75 | Report |
| 10 Oct | 20:30 | Slovenia | 1–3 | Poland | 21–25 | 30–28 | 26–28 | 13–25 | 90–106 | Report |
| 11 Oct | 15:00 | Belgium | 3–1 | Slovenia | 27–25 | 14–25 | 27–25 | 28–26 | 96–101 | Report |
| 11 Oct | 18:00 | Belarus | 0–3 | Poland | 13–25 | 19–25 | 17–25 | | 49–75 | Report |

### Pool D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Russia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 9.000 | 246 | 187 | 1.316 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Serbia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 1.400 | 277 | 261 | 1.061 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Finland | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0.500 | 193 | 218 | 0.885 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Slovakia | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 0.222 | 217 | 267 | 0.813 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 9 Oct | 17:30 | Slovakia | 2–3 | Serbia | 22–25 | 25–22 | 28–30 | 26–24 | 9–15 | 110–116 | Report |
| 9 Oct | 20:30 | Russia | 3–0 | Finland | 25–20 | 25–19 | 25–23 | | | 75–62 | Report |
| 10 Oct | 15:00 | Serbia | 3–0 | Finland | 25–19 | 25–15 | 25–21 | | | 75–55 | Report |
| 10 Oct | 18:00 | Slovakia | 0–3 | Russia | 14–25 | 10–25 | 15–25 | | | 39–75 | Report |
| 11 Oct | 15:00 | Finland | 3–0 | Slovakia | 26–24 | 25–22 | 25–22 | | | 76–68 | Report |
| 11 Oct | 18:00 | Serbia | 1–3 | Russia | 23–25 | 25–21 | 18–25 | 20–25 | | 86–96 | Report |

## Final round

* All times in Bulgaria are Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+03:00) and all times in Italy are Central European Summer Time (UTC+02:00).
| Playoffs 13 October | Playoffs 13 October | Playoffs 13 October | Quarterfinals 14 October | Quarterfinals 14 October | Quarterfinals 14 October | Semifinals 17 October – Sofia | Semifinals 17 October – Sofia | Semifinals 17 October – Sofia | Final 18 October – Sofia | Final 18 October – Sofia | Final 18 October – Sofia |
| | | | Bulgaria | Bulgaria | 3 | | | | | | |
| Belgium | Belgium | 0 | Germany | Germany | 0 | | | | | | |
| Germany | Germany | 3 | | | | Bulgaria | Bulgaria | 2 | | | |
| | | | | | | France | France | 3 | | | |
| | | | France | France | 3 | | | | | | |
| Serbia | Serbia | 3 | Serbia | Serbia | 1 | | | | | | |
| Estonia | Estonia | 2 | | | | | | | France | France | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | Slovenia | Slovenia | 0 |
| | | | Poland | Poland | 2 | | | |
| Netherlands | Netherlands | 0 | Slovenia | Slovenia | 3 | | | |
| Slovenia | Slovenia | 3 | | | | Slovenia | Slovenia | 3 | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | | | | Italy | Italy | 1 |
| | | | Russia | Russia | 0 | | | | Bulgaria | Bulgaria | 1 |
| Italy | Italy | 3 | Italy | Italy | 3 | | | | Italy | Italy | 3 |
| Finland | Finland | 0 | | | | | | | | | |

### Playoffs

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 13 Oct | 17:30 | Netherlands | 0–3 | Slovenia | 16–25 | 19–25 | 22–25 | | | 57–75 | Report |
| 13 Oct | 17:30 | Serbia | 3–2 | Estonia | 21–25 | 14–25 | 25–8 | 25–22 | 15–13 | 100–93 | Report |
| 13 Oct | 20:30 | Belgium | 0–3 | Germany | 16–25 | 29–31 | 17–25 | | | 62–81 | Report |
| 13 Oct | 20:30 | Italy | 3–0 | Finland | 25–19 | 25–16 | 25–22 | | | 75–57 | Report |

### Quarterfinals

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 14 Oct | 17:45 | Poland | 2–3 | Slovenia | 17–25 | 19–25 | 25–23 | 25–19 | 14–16 | 100–108 | Report |
| 14 Oct | 17:30 | France | 3–1 | Serbia | 25–22 | 25–23 | 14–25 | 25–20 | | 89–90 | Report |
| 14 Oct | 20:45 | Bulgaria | 3–0 | Germany | 25–19 | 25–23 | 25–23 | | | 75–65 | Report |
| 14 Oct | 20:30 | Russia | 0–3 | Italy | 20–25 | 19–25 | 19–25 | | | 58–75 | Report |

### Semifinals

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 17 Oct | 17:45 | Slovenia | 3–1 | Italy | 25–13 | 23–25 | 25–20 | 25–20 | | 98–78 | Report |
| 17 Oct | 20:45 | Bulgaria | 2–3 | France | 25–18 | 25–22 | 24–26 | 21–25 | 12–15 | 107–106 | Report |

### 3rd place match

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 18 Oct | 17:30 | Bulgaria | 1–3 | Italy | 20–25 | 14–25 | 25–23 | 20–25 | | 79–98 | Report |

### Final

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 18 Oct | 20:45 | France | 3–0 | Slovenia | 25–19 | 29–27 | 29–27 | | | 83–73 | Report |

## Final standing

| Rank | Team |
| | France |
| | Slovenia |
| | Italy |
| 4 | Bulgaria |
| 5 | Poland |
| 6 | Russia |
| 7 | Serbia |
| 8 | Germany |
| 9 | Netherlands |
| 10 | Belgium |
| 11 | Estonia |
| 12 | Finland |
| 13 | Czech Republic |
| 14 | Slovakia |
| 15 | Croatia |
| 16 | Belarus |
* 2015 Men's European Championship
* France 1st title
* 14–man roster
* Jonas Aguenier, Jenia Grebennikov, Antonin Rouzier, Benjamin Toniutti (c), Kévin Tillie, Earvin N'Gapeth, Kévin Le Roux, Julien Lyneel, Pierre Pujol, Nicolas Le Goff, Nicolas Maréchal, Franck Lafitte, Nicolas Rossard, Mory Sidibé
* Head coach
* Laurent Tillie

## Awards

* Most valuable player
    Antonin Rouzier
* Best setter
    Simone Giannelli
* Best outside spikers
    Tine Urnaut
    Earvin N'Gapeth
* Best middle blockers
    Teodor Todorov
    Viktor Yosifov
* Best opposite spiker
    Ivan Zaytsev
* Best libero
    Jenia Grebennikov
* Fair play award
    Vladimir Nikolov