Levinska ahead of Euro opener: Latvia's strength lies in team chemistry

Latvia's national volleyball team begins the European Championship today at 19:00 against a tough opponent — the tournament's host nation and reigning European champion, Turkey. Later in the group stage, Latvia will also face Poland, Germany, Slovenia and Hungary.

Ahead of the opening match, player Levinska admitted there is some nervousness in the squad, but said the team feels fairly comfortable in the new surroundings overall, with the mood improving after training sessions.

An unusually large arena

Levinska noted that the tournament arena feels unusually large to many of her teammates, several of whom had never played in such a big venue before. She described the space as feeling taller than it is wide, which in her view gives it a cozier atmosphere than one might expect from a venue of its size. She also pointed out that serve trajectories vary slightly from hall to hall, meaning players need time to adjust to the specific conditions.

Physically ready for the challenge

According to Levinska, the team is currently in good physical shape and has had sufficient time to rest before the tournament. She believes the rest of the squad is similarly prepared for the demanding match against the reigning European champions.

Discussing the opponent, Levinska acknowledged that Turkey has one clearly dominant player, around whom Latvia built part of its game strategy. She added that the team usually does not break down analysis by individual opposing players, but this time a broader overview of Turkey's squad was compiled.

Chemistry as a key strength

Levinska identified the players' mutual chemistry as one of the team's main strengths. She said the squad places strong emphasis on building this internal cohesion, viewing it as a significant contributor to the team's potential success at the tournament.