Latvian Volleyball Team Suffers First Loss in European League, Falling to Montenegro

Latvia's men's national volleyball team experienced their first loss in the 2026 CEV European League on Saturday in Portugal, falling to Montenegro 1-3 (25:21, 22:25, 19:25, 22:25).

For Latvia, Renārs Jansons was the top scorer with 21 points. Gustavs Freimanis contributed 14 points, five of which came from blocks, while captain Kristaps Šmits added 13 points. For Montenegro, Milutin Pavičević led with 24 points, including three blocks, Vukašin Cimbaljević scored 15, and Matija Činčur had 12.

Earlier in the tournament, Latvia had beaten both Romania and Kosovo 3-0 in Riga. Montenegro had lost to Finland in four sets in Austria but defeated the host nation Austria.

In the standings, Latvia has six points from three matches, placing 12th, while Montenegro also has six points but from four games, sitting 18th among 27 teams. In the FIVB world rankings, Latvia is 44th and Montenegro 56th.

Latvia will face Portugal on Sunday. This year's European League also serves as qualification for the 2028 European Championship finals. Each team will play in three weekend tournaments, after which the top four will advance to the final round. Latvia's national team will also compete in this year's European Championship finals.