Gianlorenzo Blengini, the head coach of the Bulgarian men's national team, expressed great satisfaction with the start of the Nations League in Burgas, where Bulgaria decisively defeated one of its toughest opponents, Japan, with a 3:0 set score in front of nearly 6,000 fans in "Arena Burgas." Blengini emphasized that the team's comprehensive play and mental resilience in key moments were crucial for the success. "Despite trailing by a few points in the first set, the guys maintained their concentration and managed to turn the score around. This is important – not to lose confidence under any circumstances," said the coach. He added that high-level volleyball requires performing well both when leading and when trailing, and that the team is prepared to compensate in difficult situations.

National player Aleksandar Nikolov, who made an impressive serving run in the first set, was visibly emotional after the match. "We are very proud in front of the fans who came to support us. This is the first victory over Japan in a long time and the first match in Burgas – we couldn't ask for more," said Nikolov. He attributed the success to the strong support from the audience, as well as the high character and pressure that the Bulgarian team exerted from the very beginning of the match. "My serving run and Iliya Petkov's were key to the outcome of the match. I'm also very happy to be playing with my brother – the feeling is great, and we're doing interesting things for the fans," Aleksandar added.

Setter Simeon Nikolov shared his emotions about playing in front of a full hall in Burgas and emphasized the importance of tactical execution and good serving for the victory. "I'm very happy that we managed to bring joy to the Bulgarian audience. I really got goosebumps when I saw how many people were supporting us. I'm glad we didn't disappoint them," said Moni. He highlighted the float serve tactic, which was effective against the fast Japanese team, and praised the Bulgarian team's strong block. "It was my first time playing with my brother in front of the Bulgarian audience, and I'm extremely happy that we defeated such a strong team together," the setter concluded.

Thus, the three – the head coach and the two national players Aleksandar and Simeon Nikolov – unite their views on the victory as a result of a good mental attitude, strong audience support, and tactically refined volleyball. This provides optimism for the upcoming matches in the tournament. ⚡🇧🇬🏐