Germany men's volleyball team on brink of Nations League exit after Iran loss

Germany’s men’s volleyball team suffered a 2‑3 defeat to Iran in Belgrade, leaving them on the verge of elimination from the Nations League and with only slim chances of reaching the quarter‑finals. The loss followed a 1‑3 defeat by Slovenia earlier in the group stage and a 0‑3 test match loss to Poland. Coach Massimo Botti said, “Wir wollen unsere Chance nutzen und uns für das Final 8 qualifizieren. Das wäre ein historischer Erfolg für die Mannschaft.” Setter Jan Zimmermann added, “Wir haben viele Chancen vergeben – vor allem im ersten Satz. Ich finde, wir hätten den ersten Satz nicht verlieren dürfen.” With the next match against host Serbia, Germany must win to finish in the top seven and qualify for the Final 8, a first‑time achievement in the tournament’s history. The Nations League features 18 top national teams, with the final round set for Ningbo, China.