Gianpaolo Medei and Lube's new sports director Marco Podraščanin depart for Ljubljana today. The occasion is the second stage of the Volleyball Nations League, and the goal is twofold: to see their players in action up close and to scout potential new additions for next season. It is no coincidence that they chose the Slovenian capital for their first joint scouting mission. The group in Ljubljana (Pool 6) gathers Slovenia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Italy, and Ukraine — a concentration of nationalities that directly affect the present and future of the white-and-reds.
The Bulgarian Axis
Bulgaria is the most strongly represented for Lube. Blengini's squad for Ljubljana includes both Nikolovs – Simeon and Aleksandar. Aleksandar is the club's main attacking force: proclaimed one of the best attackers on the planet and included in the World Championship Dream Team, and Lube recently officially extended his contract until 2029.
The younger Nikolov – Simeon – is also one of Medei's most interesting prospects in Ljubljana. His transfer to Civitanova has not yet been officially announced but is considered certain, and he will play alongside his brother. It would not be a surprise if this week in the Slovenian capital serves as the official announcement of the transfer, as well as an opportunity for Medei and Podraščanin to see their future setter in action up close.
The Italian Core
From the Italian squad in Ljubljana, Medei will observe his outside hitter Mattia Bottolo – one of the team's reliable assets and among the best servers in the world. It is curious that setter Mattia Boninfante is no longer in the plans: he officially left Lube after two seasons and continues his career at Zenit (Saint Petersburg). Other Lube players from the wider Azzurri squad – middle blocker Giovanni Gargiulo and libero Fabio Balaso – are also not in Ljubljana.
Ukraine – The Market for the Future
The Ukrainian team is particularly interesting with a view to next season. Lube has signed the young Ukrainian opposite hitter Maksym Tonkonog, born in Dnipro in 2007, 214 cm tall, who comes after a strong season in Serie A2 with Virtus Fano. His arrival coincides with Pablo Kukartsev's departure and frees up the opposite hitter position.
The Schedule in Ljubljana
The tournament starts on June 24 with a rematch of the World Championship final. Bulgaria opens against Italy on June 24 at 2:00 PM, followed by matches against Slovenia (June 25), Canada (June 27), and Ukraine (June 28). Thus, under one roof, Medei and Podraščanin will be able to see both their current players and their targets of interest for next season – and perhaps even take the next step regarding Simeon Nikolov.
