The national volleyball team of Bulgaria will have a tough encounter with Serbia on the opening day of the European Championship in Turkey, a match which some have heralded as the "final before the final".

Serbia won bronze in Moscow 2007 and alongside Bulgaria and Italy, Serbia is being hailed as one of the potential favourites for the title. The match will begin at 5.30 Bulgarian time and will be televised by Bulgarian national television, BNT.

This will be Silvano Prandi's – Bulgaria's Italian head coach – baptism of fire in a major tournament. According to various media reports, instead of Krassimir Gaidarski, the Italian might opt for Victor Yosifov to partner up front with Hristo Tsvetanov.

Defending the colours of Cherno More in the domestic league, the player has displayed top form in the qualification matches and is likely to receive the go-ahead in the starting line-up.

Bulgaria is in Group D with Serbia, Italy and the Czech Republic, and the top three teams will qualify for the next phase of the tournament.

Bulgaria finished in eighth place on the last European championship, but this time around, according to the bookmakers, Bulgaria is considered as one of the tournaments' top four favourites. Sportingbet gives Bulgaria 6.50 coefficient, whereas Russia is favourite with 3.10. Moreover, William Hill rates Bulgaria with 8.00 and Ladbrokes 7.00, whereas Russia is rated at 3.25. Italy has a coefficient of 10.50, while Serbia has 5.00