Bulgarian captain Alex Grozdanov made a frank assessment of the national team's performance at EuroVolley 2026. In a conversation for Sportcast Volleyball, the middle blocker admitted that the elimination by Germany was a difficult experience for the entire team, pointed out one of the main psychological problems facing the young squad, and spoke about the off-court details where Bulgaria still has room to develop.
Grozdanov revealed that in the first days after the loss, sleep was difficult not only for him but also for the rest of the team, including head coach Gianlorenzo Blengini. The very next day, long conversations and message exchanges began among the players, already focused on the next summer.
"We do care," is the captain's main message. According to him, the big change compared to previous years is precisely the atmosphere around the national team – from the players and staff to the federation and the public.
Grozdanov also showed how difficult the elimination was accepted with a personal moment with Martin Atanasov, with whom he has been together for years. After the match, the two returned to their room, and Atanasov was extremely angry. At one point, he said they had "wasted their time" – words that stuck in the captain's mind.
"That really stung me. Since then, I've been thinking about what I need to change, what we need to change, so that it doesn't happen again that we've wasted our time. We certainly haven't wasted it. It's just that everyone wants to achieve more and faster," Grozdanov admitted.
Grozdanov spoke particularly strongly about the pressure of hosting in Sofia. A full hall is a huge help, but at the same time, it puts the young team in a situation they still need to learn to handle. Billboards on the way to the hall, thousands of people in front of "Arena 8888 Sofia," constant messages, and calls from loved ones created a completely different environment from that of the World Championship in the Philippines.
"We need to go through less-than-perfect conditions," Grozdanov explained. He sees the ability to play under such pressure as one of the next steps in the team's development.
The captain also did not hide where he believes Bulgaria lost the match against Germany. After strong first two sets, the national team had the opportunity to press the opponent in the middle of the third, but instead remained too calm.
Grozdanov also admitted to unnecessary individual risk. He himself tried a more aggressive hybrid serve at a moment when his role is usually more about balancing the serve. According to him, precisely such decisions are part of the reasons Bulgaria accumulated so many errors.
The topic of serving is one of the most critical in his analysis. Grozdanov believes that the team should start thinking collectively even in this seemingly individual element – who is having a good day, who has already taken enough risk, and when it is more reasonable to simply put the ball in play. Alex and Simeon Nikolov logically have more freedom to take risks due to their strong serve, but the others need to learn to feel the moment and the bigger picture.
Even more interesting is the admission of a pattern that Bulgaria has repeated several times – a strong match against a big opponent, followed by a slump against a seemingly more beatable team.
Grozdanov sees three reasons – physical exhaustion, mental fatigue, and a certain relaxation after a big victory. He cited the success against Poland as an example.
"We beat Poland and you start thinking: now we'll do what's necessary, but it will be an easier match."
According to the captain, this is where one of the most important lessons for this young squad lies – the maximum effort required against Poland might look different from the maximum effort against Germany, but the concentration must be the same. Bulgaria must learn to approach every subsequent match with the necessary professional level, regardless of the opponent's name.
Grozdanov also touched on a topic rarely discussed publicly – recovery and preparation outside the hall. Without criticizing the federation or the staff, he stated that there are details that could be improved with more resources – nutrition, supplements, and recovery.
According to him, even a one percent improvement matters at the highest international level. He emphasized that the topic has been discussed with the medical staff, and development must go hand in hand with the increasing capabilities of the federation.
His words about Gianlorenzo Blengini are particularly strong. Grozdanov describes the Italian not just as a coach, but as a person who has restored the players' belief that Bulgaria can once again reach great heights.
"He personally restored my belief that we, Bulgarians, can reach great heights with our team."
For the captain, Blengini's greatest strength is the trust he has built within the team. Grozdanov even describes him as the "father of the team" – a person who is with the players daily and who manages to convince them of the common direction.
However, this trust comes with immense competition. Grozdanov talks about the extremely tough training camp in Samokov, where the players dove for every ball and trained at maximum intensity. It is there, he believes, that personal ego can be useful – when it pushes one volleyball player to try to outperform another, thus raising the level of training. In the match, however, this ego must be subordinated to the team.
The captain also spoke openly about his work with a sports psychologist. According to him, such help is still underestimated in Bulgaria, although it is a normal part of sports at the highest level. Constant travel, months away from family, expectations, and pressure gradually accumulate, and an athlete cannot always find a solution on their own.
That's why Grozdanov sees psychology, recovery, and nutrition as those small percentages that can eventually make a big difference.
And despite the disappointment of the ninth place, the captain also sees something that Bulgaria has gained – the connection with the public. He admits that in the past, after a failure, he encountered direct reproaches even from strangers, while now the reaction is different – support, understanding, and a desire for this team to move forward.
Grozdanov himself had dreamed for 14 years of playing in front of a full Sofia arena with the national team. At EuroVolley, this dream came true.
Now the other dream remains – for Bulgaria to once again have the opportunity to play in front of this audience and this time to fix what remained unfinished in Sofia.