Alex Grozdanov, the middle blocker for Poland's BOGDANKA LUK Lublin and captain of the Bulgarian national team, gave an interview toPlusLiga.plbefore the third final match against Aluron Warta Zawiercie, in which his team will fight for the championship title. The Bulgarian emphasized that despite the 2-0 lead, his team must not lose concentration, because “the opponent can be reborn at any time.”
In the interview, Grozdanov also highlighted the importance of the Challenge Cup victory against the Italian powerhouse Lube Civitanova, where he faced his compatriot Aleksandar Nikolov. “For Bulgarian volleyball, it is something extraordinary – for two of our players to play in a European club tournament final. This had not happened for a long time,” Alex emphasized.
Even more impressive is his performance in his debut season in Poland – Grozdanov is currently insecond place in the ranking for best blocker in PlusLiga, immediately behind Polish international Norbert Huber. “The competition here is great; the strongest middle blockers in Europe play in Poland. Blocking is the most important element for me, and I am happy with this achievement. This is the best place to test yourself and learn. I don't follow statistics constantly – what's more important is how I help the team. But this is certainly one of my best seasons. With the accumulated experience and daily work, I managed to raise my level,” he added.
“We really played two great matches – we are deservedly ahead. Of course, we know that Zawiercie has health problems, but we also went through difficulties. In the quarter-finals against ZAKSA, I sustained an ankle injury, but I managed to recover quickly. I am glad that the most difficult moment is behind me, and now I can play freely,” Grozdanov stressed.
Grozdanov also stated that the key to Lublin's success is the strong atmosphere in the team and the enormous motivation of everyone who is fighting for such high goals for the first time. His expectations for the third final match in Szczecin are for a tough battle, especially given the inclusion of veteran Georg Grozer in the Zawiercie squad.
And while the Lublin team is just one win away from the title, Grozdanov remains focused: “We must keep our cool and show our best volleyball right now.” 🏐🔥
photos: Nikolay Varadinov andPlusLiga.pl
