VOLLEY WEEK

Blengini chose the 14 for the start of the VNL: Two debutants in the Bulgarian squad

Gianlorenzo Blengini, the head coach of the Bulgarian men's national team, has made his final selection for the first week of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2026. The Italian specialist named a group of 14 players who will represent Bulgaria in the first tournament of the competition, which will be held in Brazil.Three volleyball players were dropped from the extended squad that held a preparatory camp in Samokov – opposite hitter Dimitar Dimitrov, outside hitter Georgi Tatarov, and libero Dimitar Dobrev.Blengini's selection means that Bulgaria will have two debutants in official matches for the men's national team – Jasmin Velichkov and Denislav Bardarov.Bardarov was very close to participating in last year's World Championship in the Philippines, but was then left out of the final squad. Now the outside hitter gets his chance to show his qualities at the highest level. His strong performance at the friendly tournament "Silesia Cup", where he demonstrated consistency and stability in his game, also contributed to the trust placed in him.For Jasmin Velichkov, the upcoming participation is even more special. The talented outside hitter, who turned 19 on June 1st, will be part of the men's national team in an official tournament for the first time.