Head coach Gianlorenzo Blengini had to reduce the initial 26 names to 23 for the CEV 05 Form, and his final selection is now known.
Outside the long list remain opposite Hristiyan Dimitrov, middle blocker Kiril Kolev, and setter Anton Stanchev.
We expected one of these decisions, and for the other two, there is already a logical explanation. The big surprise, however, turned out to be not among those dropped, but among those remaining – Dimitar Dobrev.
We were right about Hristiyan Dimitrov, but not about Dobrev.
In our previous analysis of the situation around CEV 05, we pointed out Hristiyan Dimitrov and Dimitar Dobrev as the two most logical candidates to be left out of the long list.
For both of them, the reason was related to health problems that prevented them from being part of the current national team preparation.
For Hristiyan Dimitrov, the prediction was confirmed. The opposite is not among the 23. For Dobrev, however, Blengini has made a different decision.

The nominal libero has not played all summer due to a virus, is not part of the preparation in Samokov, and has not yet started preparations for the new season. This will only happen tomorrow when Dobrev will begin training with his club team Levski. Nevertheless, his name remains among the 23 in CEV 05, and this is one of the surprises in Blengini's selection.
However, this does not mean that Dobrev is close to the final squad for EuroVolley or that the coach necessarily intends to use him. Rather, he remains on standby – Blengini reserves the right to turn to him if the situation requires it.
The interesting thing is precisely the decision to keep this door open for a volleyball player who is yet to start training after such a long absence from the court.
Damyan Kolev is the libero in Samokov, but Zhelev is also an option.
In the current training group, the nominal libero is Damyan Kolev. However, Blengini has another option – outside hitter Rusi Zhelev has already been used as a libero and can take on this role again if needed.

This is also important when evaluating the situation around Dobrev. Blengini is not forced to keep him as the only alternative to Kolev, but simply reserves another option through the long list.
Peychinov goes 100% to the middle – Kiril Kolev is out.
The second name outside the 23 is Kiril Kolev from Lokomotiv Avia.
Here, the decision is directly related to two of the recent changes in the national team – the return of Lazar Buchkov and the role Blengini has assigned to Dimitar Peychinov.
Buchkov missed the start of the training camp in Samokov due to an ankle injury sustained at the end of the club season, but he has now recovered and joined the preparation.
The case of the 213-cm tall Peychinov is even more interesting. He is a nominal opposite, but even during the preparation for the Nations League, Blengini used him in the training process as a middle blocker. At that time, one could still speak of additional versatility. Now the situation is different. Peychinov will be used 100% as a middle blocker.
His emergence as a permanent option in the middle and Buchkov's return have predetermined Kiril Kolev's removal from the list.

Thus, Blengini is practically reshuffling the competition for this position.
Nachev remains despite injury
The decision regarding the middle blockers also sends an important signal about Boris Nachev's condition.
The Bulgarian Volleyball Federation announced that Nachev was leaving the current training camp due to an injury, without providing further details. This logically placed him among the possible candidates to be dropped from the final extended list. This is not happening. Nachev remains among the 23, which suggests that his problem is not serious and Blengini continues to keep him available if needed.
This also follows the line from the entire summer. Nachev was part of Bulgaria's squad for the Silesia Cup, after which he was among the 14 chosen for all three Nations League tournaments.

The five setters became four
The third player dropped is setter Anton Stanchev, who will switch from Lokomotiv Avia to Levski for the new season.
This was one of the main question marks even with the initial list. Blengini had five setters – Simeon Nikolov, Lyuboslav Telkiyski, Stoil Palev, Viktor Zekov, and Anton Stanchev.
Five for a list of 23 seemed a lot even with the specifics of CEV 05, and in the end, the coach decided to reduce the number to four.
Thus, the three who are dropped from the initial 26 are:
Hristiyan Dimitrov – opposite hitter
Kiril Kolev – middle blocker
Anton Stanchev – setter
Why the 23 are important, even though only 16 are training in Samokov
To correctly interpret Blengini's choice, we must recall the function of CEV 05.
The deadline for closing the long list for men was August 10. CEV allows a maximum of 24 players to be registered, but Bulgaria has chosen to submit 23.
These 23 do not represent the final squad for EuroVolley, nor do all of them have to be part of the preparation. This is the pre-registered pool of volleyball players from whom Blengini can subsequently make his final selection. That is why the group in Samokov is significantly smaller.
If a problem arises before the start of the European Championship with a volleyball player the coach plans to rely on, Blengini has the remaining pre-registered players as options when forming the final squad. That is precisely why being among the 23 matters even for players who are not currently participating in the training process.
The medical substitution rule makes the long list even more valuable
The significance of CEV 05 does not end with the start of EuroVolley.
After the preliminary check, a player from the final squad can be replaced for medical reasons under the conditions defined by CEV. The key requirement is that his replacement must be pre-listed in the CEV 05 long list.
Thus, a volleyball player who is not part of the current camp in Samokov and does not even make it into the initial final squad for the championship, may subsequently prove to be necessary.
However, the procedure does not allow for free rotation of the squad. A medical replacement must be supported by relevant documentation for the injury, and the team bears the costs associated with the replacement.
Furthermore, according to CEV rules, a team can only make one such medical replacement during the tournament. It is a one-way street – once replaced, a player cannot return to the squad for the same competition.
Therefore, CEV 05 is not just an administrative list. It is also a kind of insurance that should provide Blengini with enough options for various positions both before the start of EuroVolley and in case of an unforeseen situation during the championship.
These 16 are training in Samokov
While the long list includes 23 players, Blengini's current working group consists of 16 volleyball players.
Setters:Simeon Nikolov, Stoil Palev
Opposites:Venislav Antov
Outside Hitters:Martin Atanasov, Asparuh Asparuhov, Georgi Tatarov, Rusi Zhelev, Denislav Bardarov, Aleksandar Nikolov, Jasmin Velichkov
Middle Blockers:Iliya Petkov, Preslav Petkov, Alex Grozdanov, Dimitar Peychinov, Lazar Buchkov
Libero:Damyan Kolev
With Peychinov, we are now talking about a middle blocker according to the role he will perform in the national team, and Rusi Zhelev remains among the outside hitters, although he can be used as a libero if necessary.

One surprise remained from the puzzle
Before the final reduction of the list, the big question was which three names would be dropped.
Our assumption about Hristiyan Dimitrov was confirmed. For Kiril Kolev, the decision has a clear explanation after Peychinov's move to the middle and Buchkov's return. For Anton Stanchev, Blengini reduced the initial number of five setters.
The most unexpected decision remains related to Dimitar Dobrev.
Bulgaria's final long list (CEV 05) for EuroVolley 2026 – 23 volleyball players:

Setters (4):Simeon Nikolov, Lyuboslav Telkiyski, Stoil Palev, Viktor Zekov

Opposites (2):Dimitar Dimitrov, Venislav Antov

Outside Hitters (8):Martin Atanasov, Asparuh Asparuhov, Georgi Tatarov, Rusi Zhelev, Denislav Bardarov, Aleksandar Nikolov, Kristiyan Aleksov, Zhasmin Velichkov

Middle Blockers (7):Iliya Petkov, Boris Nachev, Preslav Petkov, Alex Grozdanov, Ivaylo Damyanov, Lazar Buchkov, Dimitar Peychinov (nominally an opposite, but will be used by Blengini 100% as a middle blocker)

Liberos (2):Dimitar Dobrev, Damyan Kolev
Gianlorenzo Blengini's next big decision will be regarding the squad with which Bulgaria will attack EuroVolley 2026.

photos: Nikolay Varadinov