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Underestimating the Netherlands, who won four of their last five matches, would be a big mistake. Do they have what it takes to upset the reigning Volleyball Nations League champions on Wednesday?
Italy Ready to Defend Their Title
Italy Women are the reigning Volleyball Nations League champions, and the latest odds suggest they are well positioned to defend their crown this week in Macau.
The Azzurri finished the group stage with an impressive 10-2 record, which was enough to secure second place behind the United States, finishing ahead of Brazil and Turkey.
Italy wrapped up June with a 3-0 victory over Japan before carrying that momentum into July with wins over Ukraine (3-1), Belgium (3-0), Canada (3-2) and China (3-2), giving them plenty of confidence ahead of the final tournament.
Netherlands Looking to Cause an Upset
The Netherlands missed out on last year's Volleyball Nations League finals, so reaching this season's final tournament already represents a successful campaign after finishing seventh in the standings with a 7-5 record.
The Dutch produced mixed results during Week 2, recording two wins and two defeats, but raised their level significantly in early July by claiming four consecutive victories against Thailand (3-0), France (3-0), the Czech Republic (3-0) and Germany (3-0) to climb into the Top 7.
That impressive run came to an end in the final group-stage match with a 3-0 defeat to hosts Serbia. Fortunately, Poland failed to win their final fixture, allowing the Netherlands to hold on to seventh place.