After having shone all summer with the jersey of the French team – victory in VNL in June and gold medalists at the Paris Games in August – the volleyball Blues separated to find their respective clubs in the four corners of Europe. Overview of the 12 Olympic champions.
In France
This is the good news of the start of the school year. With the surprise arrival ofEarvin Ngapeth in Poitiers, the French Championship – the Marmara SpikeLigue – will host two Olympic champions this season. And – therefore – the most illustrious of them with the MVP of the last two Olympic finals. At 33 years old and after 13 seasons away from France, Ngapeth packed his bags for the season (but with the possibility of leaving after the December break) in his “village” and his “heart club” of Poitiers.
The other Blue that French spectators will be able to see this season is the central Nicolas Le Goff who is starting his 5th season in Montpellier.
In Italy
Four of the twelve Olympic champions are competing in the Italian championship, SuperLega, which begins this weekend. The ferryman Antoine Brizard continues the adventure in Piacenza. Status quo also the central Bartholomew Chinawhich extended with the Lube Civitanova until 2027, and the pointed Theo Faure is playing its second season under the colors of Cisterna. At 24, he was voted top scorer in the championship last season. After a season in Rzeszów in Poland Yacine Louati returns to the Boot (he had played at Monza) at Milan where he signed until 2027.
In Poland
This is the other country where most of the Blues play. Started two weeks ago, the Polish championship – the PlusLiga – welcomes three Olympic champions and the reserve Thimotée Carle. The latter – after four seasons in Germany – decided to change scenery and wears the Jastrzebski Wegiel jersey. Carle will be well accompanied since he will meet the captain and passer of the French team there, Benjamin Toniutti which continues its fourth season. Defeated in the Champions League final but reigning Polish champion, Toniutti hopes to add a new title to his record at the end of the season. Kevin Tillie is he still in Warsaw.
After a season at Plessis-Robinson, Quentin Jouffroy – so valuable in his services in the final of the Games – lives, at 31, a foreign championship and wears the colors of Suwalki. An adventure which started perfectly since he scored 11 points for his big debut.
Note that the coach of the Blues, the Italian Andrea Giani, was recruited by the Jastrzebski Wegie club.
In Türkiye
After a ten-day stint with the Indonesian club Djakarta Bhayangkara at the Asian Club Championship in Iran (3rd place with Earvin Ngapeth), the best scorer of the Paris Olympics, Jean Patry is preparing to discover the Turkish championship with Galatasaray. Trévor Clévenot will also take his first steps in this championship under the colors of Ziraat Bankkart Ankara.
In Russia
Despite the desire to return to France, the libero Jenia Grebennikov decided to stay with the St. Petersburg club in Russia. It continues a 4th season.
France : Earvin Ngapeth (Poitiers), Nicolas Le Goff (Montpellier).
Italy : Antoine Brizard (Piacenza), Barthélémy Chinenyeze (Civitanova), Théo Faure (Cisterna), Yacine Louati (Milan).
Poland : Benjamin Toniutti, Timothée Carle (Jastrzebski), Kévin Tillie (Warsaw), Quentin Jouffroy (Suwalki).
Russia : Jenia Grebennikov (Zenith Saint Petersburg).
Türkiye : Trévor Clévenot (Ankara), Jean Patry (Galatasaray).
