Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the 2024 Olympics volleyball match
France
France beat Poland in the playoffs three years ago (3:2). In the Polish team there are many players who remember this and want revenge. But the French team knows how to take advantage of it and they are good at putting pressure on them mentally. We shouldn’t forget about the referee and support from 10 000 fans. These things give France more ways to win. If France gets a 2:0 lead, they'll be hard to stop. Even if they're down 0:2, they'll have a real chance to come back.
Poland
Poland's performance in the semifinals wasn’t as impressive as France’s win over Italy. The Polish team did their best, coming back from a 1:2 score, and if they were stronger than the Americans, it was only by a small margin. You can see this in the basic stats: Poland had fewer kills (62-68), made more errors (32-29), but served slightly better (6-4) with equal in blocks (7-7). If this was a bike race, they’d need a photo finish to decide the winner.
France - Poland Prediction
In a close game where small things matter a lot, the French team has an extra mental advantage. The Polish players were in Champions League, Nations League, World and European Championships finals, but none of these are as big as an Olympic final. The very talented Polish team will compete for Olympic gold for the first time, but France already knows how to win in a crucial game. We’re betting on an underdog.
