Dragan Nesic and Panionios are one step away from the Challenge Cup semifinals, a possible Greek clash with Panathinaikos
Greek GS Panionios (Nea Smyrni) made a huge step towards the Challenge Cup semifinals after winning the first quarterfinal as a guest in Cyprus. A victory in the return leg in a week will send Panionios among the four best in the tournament, and an intriguing scenario is already emerging on the horizon – an all-Greek semifinal against Panathinaikos. Olympiada Neapolis (Cyprus) – GS Panionios (Greece) 1:3(25:21,17:25,19:25,14:25) The difference in the match came not only from the game-by-game score, but also from the attack structure. Olympiada had one prominent figure – Malina Terrell (21 pts), but without sufficient support around her.
Elitsa Vasileva-Atanasijevic in the ideal team of the round in Greece
Bulgarian star Elitsa Vasileva-Atanasijević received another significant recognition in the Greek championship, after being selected for the Ideal Team of the Round in the Volley League (women). The Panionios Betsson player found a place among the best seven of the 15th round, after finishing as the highest-scoring outside hitter in the selection with 24 points. Also notable in the Ideal Team of the Week are the strong performances of opposite hitter Hayley Lynn Bennett (Panathinaikos) with 21 points, as well as the impressive presence of Markella Papageorgiou (Panathinaikos), who recorded a total of 6 blocks - a rare achievement for a single round.
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Asparuh Asparuhov was included in the ideal team of the 18th round in the Polish PlusLiga
Asparuh Asparuhov was included in the ideal team of the 18th round of the Polish PlusLiga after another strong performance for Ślepsk Malow Suwałki. The Bulgarian outside hitter was selected among the best by the Polish media's editorial team, impressing with 15 points and an MVP award during the away game in Olsztyn. Asparuhov achieved an impressive 70% attacking efficiency and also contributed with 5 digs in defense, highlighting his overall influence on the game. Polish journalists also emphasize the visibly improving form of the Bulgarian player, who is becoming an increasingly key figure for his team in crucial moments. ✅ Ideal Team of the 18th Round in PlusLiga (first squad):
Dobromir Dimitrov and Las Palmas lost 1:3 to Perugia, Lyubomir Sirakov was the head referee
Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia solidified their leading position in Group C of the Champions League after defeating Guaguas Las Palmas 3:1 (26:24, 25:19, 21:25, 25:20) in a match officiated by Bulgarian referee Lyubomir Sirakov. The Italians snatched the first set after a tough battle and high-intensity play, and then held the initiative in key moments. The intrigue for the Bulgarian audience also came from the appearance of former national setter Dobromir Dimitrov, who came on for the Spaniards in the first and fourth sets, trying to bring a fresh impetus to their game. Ultimately, however, Perugia's class and more stable play in the decisive rallies tipped the scales in favor of the hosts.The most effective players for the winners in the match were Ben Tara and Plotnytskyi with 16 points each, while Juantorena and Bruno scored 17 each for Guaguas Las Palmas, but even those were not enough for more than a set won. Plotnytskyi was named MVP of the match.
Niki Kourtev again out of the Champions League: Montpellier fell 0:3 to Projekt Warszawa
Although he already plays in the French domestic league, Nikolay Kartev continues to be absent from Montpellier's roster for the Champions League. The reason is purely administrative and related to his status in the CEV system, as earlier in the season he participated in the Challenge Cup with PAOK, which delays/restricts the possibility of a new European registration. Meanwhile, Montpellier suffered a defeat during their visit to Poland, losing to PGE Project Warsaw 0:3 (26:28, 23:25, 20:25) in 83 minutes. The hosts took the key moments in the first set, and then controlled the development, led by Bartosz Bednorz (19 points), who was also chosen as MVP. The match was officiated by Bulgarian referee Atanas Varbanov.
Mika Stoyanova and Megabox are one win away from the 1/2 finals of the Challenge Cup
Megabox Ondulati del Savio Vallefoglia took a big step towards the Challenge Cup semifinals after securing a clean 3:0 (25:21, 25:20, 25:17) away victory against Emalsa Gran Canaria in the first leg of the quarterfinals. The Italian side controlled the match and did not allow the tough Spanish team to seriously get back into any of the three sets. Bulgarian national player Mika Stoyanova also made an appearance she came on briefly in the second set but did not manage to score. The top scorer for the winners was Bicchi with 23 points, while for the hosts, Brown scored the most with 11.
Another confirmation: Lokomotiv Novosibirsk takes another setter for the new season
The information that Dinamo-LO setter Egor Krechetov will transfer to Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk) from next season sounds like another sign that Simeon (Moni) Nikolov is getting closer to leaving after the end of the campaign. The news was spread by the Telegram channel "Fanat Voleybola", and in the same context, it is stated that in Novosibirsk Krechetov will partner with the Argentinian Luciano de Cecco - a name that is already circulating around Lokomotiv as an option for the setter position. This is where the logical connection with Moni appears: when a club fighting for the title starts to "close" the most important position with new names, it usually means one thing - preparation for a change. And in this case, the change seems completely real, because another narrative is running in parallel - that Moni Nikolov might leave Russia and head to Italy, where he is linked with Lube (Civitanova), joining his brother Aleksandar Nikolov. In other words: Krechetov and de Cecco do not sound like a random reinforcement, but rather a move that suggests Lokomotiv is already preparing a scenario for next season, in which Simeon Nikolov will not be part of the team.Photo: lokovolley.com
Aksel Trukhchev officially signed with Stal Nysa in Poland
The French outside hitter Axel Truhtchev, who has Bulgarian roots, officially became part of the Polish club Stal Nysa. The 30-year-old volleyball player is well-known in Bulgaria as well, having played for Neftochimic 2010 (Burgas) for two seasons and being among the solid foreign players in the Bulgarian Superliga. Stal Nysa announced his signing on January 28 through its communication channels, and the transfer is part of the team's winter reinforcement at a crucial point in the season. Stal Nysa competes in the second tier of men's volleyball in Poland, and for the 2025/2026 season, it is purposefully working towards promotion and a return to PlusLiga. Currently, coach Mark Lebedew's team occupies third place in the regular season standings, trailing the leaders CUK Aniołowie (Toruń) and GKS (Katowice) by 7 points.
New Miss Bulgaria for volleyweek.bg: "Young people should invest in education and prove that several things can go hand in hand."
Pernek has rarely seen such an unusual plot after a women's volleyball match.
Daniel Peev for volleyweek.bg after his election as national coach: "The goal is for the team to win and play good volleyball for its age."
The new head coach of the Bulgarian men's national U22 team, Daniel Peev, takes over from Ventsislav Simeonov.
Alex Nikolov for Volleyweek: "Today I don't feel euphoria - tomorrow we play the match of our lives."
To be honest, I can't gather my thoughts...
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Nikolay Nikolov returns to the Bulgarian championship
Former national middle blocker Nikolay Nikolov will play in the Bulgarian championship again. After nearly a year away from official matches, the 39-year-old volleyball player returns to his home country, this time with the CSKA team. The information was confirmed by sources from the "red" club and the NVL.
Black Sea strengthened with a new center and outside hitter
Cherno More overcame the turmoil after being eliminated from the Bulgarian Cup finals and the subsequent coaching change, entering the second half of the season with new additions. The Portuguese Andre Medeiros replaces the departed Viktor Yosifov in the middle, and Todor Dimitrov will strengthen the reception. This was reported specifically tovolleyweek.bgthe club president Krasimir Iliev, who revealed details about the selection and the team's current state before the start of the championship.
Martin Atanasov decided where he would continue the season
The fate of Bulgarian national player Martin Atanasov has become clear. Following Vero Volley Monza's parting ways with Finnish outside hitter Luka Marttila, the club from Brianza has decided to retain Atanasov until the end of the season under improved financial conditions compared to the short-term three-month contract which expired at the end of December. In recent weeks, there were real indications that Atanasov might leave Monza, with clubs from Turkey, Poland, other Italian teams, and even Russia in unofficial talks showing interest in him.
Four offers for our national in Italy, two more in transfer rumors
The Italian SuperLega is entering a crucial stage in building squads for next season, and Bulgarian volleyball players are proving to be among the most sought-after names on the market. According to information fromvolleyweek.bg, Martin Atanasov is among the most sought-after outside hitters in Europe and is already directly influencing transfer dynamics in Italy. As we have already exclusively reported, Atanasov has rejected an offer from Powervolley Milano and is currently evaluating proposals from several leading championships.
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Moni Nikolov leads the vote in Russia – fans are on the move
Bulgarian setter Simeon Nikolov is on the verge of receiving one of the most significant individual recognitions in Russia – a place in the symbolic team of the first half of the season in the men's Super League. With days remaining until the end of fan voting, Nikolov is leading in his position, but the battle is far from over. By decision of the All-Russian Volleyball Federation, a selection for the symbolic team of the first half of the season in the men's Super League is being held during the 2025/2026 season. The procedure includes several stages – selection of candidates by Super League experts, fan voting on the league's official channel, and a final decision by the head coaches of the 16 teams, with the head coach of the Russian national team having the final say in case of a tie. That is precisely why fan support carries real weight and is not just a formality.
Bulgaria learned its cities and pools in the VNL, opponents match by match - later
The Bulgarian men's national volleyball team, which became world vice-champion last autumn in the Philippines, has learned the cities and pools where they will participate in the Nations League this summer. The information was announced unofficially, as at this moment the hosts, dates, and teams in the individual groups are clear, but not Bulgaria's specific opponents in each tournament. Gianlorenzo Blengini's squad will begin its VNL participation in the Brazilian capital, Brasília, between June 10 and 14. This pool also includes the teams of Brazil, Serbia, Argentina, Belgium, and Iran, and according to the regulations, each team will play four matches, not against all opponents in the group. The second week of the tournament will take place between June 24 and 28 in Ljubljana.
The 10 nominees for "Athlete of the Year" 2025 have been announced, and volleyball is among them
The Bulgarian Association of Sports Journalists announced the final top ten in the 68th edition of the "Athlete of the Year" poll, and volleyball deservedly holds a leading place among the most successful sports in the country in 2025. The sport is represented by two athletes in the top 10, a strong presence immediately after it, and two national teams that will determine Bulgaria's Team No.1. Among the top ten, in alphabetical order, are Aleksandar Nikolov and Simeon Nikolov " two of the key figures in the historical journey of the Bulgarian men's national team in 2025. Their presence among the best is a logical consequence of their consistency, leadership, and crucial role in the national team's most successful season in modern history. Alex Grozdanov also remained immediately after the final top ten, which once again emphasizes the scale of volleyball achievements and the depth of quality in the national team.