According to reports in the Polish media, the Polish national team is now entering the final stage of its preparation for the third week of the Volleyball Nations League, where the first opponent for "Druzyna polska" will be Bulgaria. After the strong home tournament in Gliwice, coach Nikola Grbic has decided to reduce the squad to 16 players who will prepare for the matches in Chicago.
Poland concluded the tournament in Gliwice with four wins from four matches. The hosts successively defeated Belgium, Turkey, Germany, and Argentina, beating the South Americans 3:1 in their last match. However, the successes did not come easily – the first two matches were won after a tie-break, and in the next two, the Poles lost the first set before coming back to win.
The most memorable moment of the tournament was the historic first set against Argentina, which Poland lost 48:50. This is the longest set in the history of the Volleyball Nations League and a new record for the Polish national team.
Despite the difficulties, Nikola Grbic remained satisfied with what he saw in Gliwice. The Serbian specialist emphasized that the most important thing for him was the good contribution of the players from the bench, who provided energy and changed the course of the matches. The return to game rhythm of Wilfredo Leon, Marcin Komenda, and Kevin Sasak, all three teammates of Alex Grozdanov in Bogdanka, was also particularly important.
After the tournament, the Polish nationals received two days of rest. On Wednesday, the team will gather at the training center in Spala, where they will conduct their last more intensive training cycle before departing for the USA.
Grbic admits that this is the only real period when Poland will have the opportunity to work calmly in the hall. After that, the schedule will be dominated by travel and matches, so the next five or six training sessions will be used for game adjustments.
One important decision has already been made – for this stage of the season, Grbic will rely on two opposite hitters: Kevin Sasak and Bartosz Boladz. This means that Bartosz Gomulka and Alaksei Nasevich, who made good impressions during the first week of the VNL in China, are out of contention for Chicago.
Additionally, Marcel Bakaj will remain with the team to train. The reason is a slight calf problem for setter Jan Firlej. The Polish staff does not want to risk a premature return, although the injury is not considered serious. Firlej is expected to be ready for the tournament in Chicago.
Jakub Kochanowski will also gradually be brought back to full training. One of Poland's leaders is not yet in optimal form but remains part of the group Grbic is relying on for the next stage of the season. The coach is also pleased with the performance of middle blockers Jakub Nowak and Mateusz Poreba, who may receive a more significant role going forward.
A control match against Germany is also planned in Poland's preparation. The test will be played on July 10 in Olsztyn and will be the last serious test for "Druzyna polska" before traveling to the USA.
Poland ranks third in the temporary standings of the Nations League and is very close to qualifying for the Final Eight. That is precisely why the tournament in Chicago is seen by Grbic as an important test against top-level opponents.
In Chicago, the Poles will face Bulgaria, Brazil, France, and the host USA. Their first match is against Bulgaria on July 15, which makes all of Grbic's personnel decisions and the control match with Germany directly important for the "lions".