The future of the head coach of the Bulgarian women's national team, Marcello Abbondanza, at the helm of Fenerbahçe Medicana seems to be coming to an end. According to information from the authoritative Turkish specialized publication Voleybolun Sesi, the management of the Istanbul giant is already in the final phase of selecting a new head coach, while legal procedures for terminating the Italian specialist's contract are ongoing in parallel.
According to the publication, the final decision on the new coach is expected next week. The most serious candidate is the Italian Stefano Lavarini, who coached Fenerbahçe during the 2023/24 season and is currently at the helm of Novara Vero Volley Milano. Other names discussed include former Igor Gorgonzola Novara coach Lorenzo Bernardi and Ferhat Akbaş, who worked as the head coach of the Japanese women's national team for the past two seasons.
The news does not come as a surprise. Already during the preparation of the Bulgarian women's national team, Marcello Abbondanza made it clear that his future at Fenerbahçe was in question. At the time, he admitted that the situation around the club was unclear and that discussions were pending, whichVolleyWeek.bgalso informed its readers.
As of now, there is no official announcement from Fenerbahçe regarding a separation with Abbondanza. However, according to Voleybolun Sesi, discussions on the termination of his two-year contract are already underway at a legal level, and the club's management intends to announce the new head coach immediately after the procedure is completed.
If the information is officially confirmed, this will mark the end of Marcello Abbondanza's second tenure at Fenerbahçe, while he continues to lead the Bulgarian women's national team in preparation for the European Championship.