Former Bulgaria coach Silvano Prandi found himself in a difficult situation just over two weeks before the start of the 2026/27 season in France. Paris Volley, led by the Italian specialist, is facing serious financial problems and is looking for an investor to stabilize the club.
Already at the end of August, Le Parisien reported interest in Paris Volley from the esports structure Vitality, and subsequently L'Équipe confirmed that an acquisition offer for the club was being discussed. However, a final decision has not yet been reached.
Among the people involved with the fate of Paris Volley is Stéphane Antiga, who participated in its rescue during the previous severe financial crisis in 2018. The Frenchman is now at the helm of Bogdanka LUK Lublin, whose captain is Bulgarian international Alex Grozdanov, but he continues to closely follow what is happening at his former club.
"Discussions are ongoing, and I continue to believe that a solution is still possible. We are putting all our energy into this," Antiga stated.

Prandi took over Paris in the summer

Silvano Prandi took charge of Paris Volley this summer, after concluding his long tenure at Chaumont earlier in the year.
Despite financial difficulties, Paris strengthened for the new season, with Daryl Bultor standing out among the new signings. The Olympic champion with France from Tokyo 2020 played for Ajaccio in the 2025/26 season and is now expected to be part of Prandi's squad. Thus, immediately before the start of the championship, sports issues remain in the background, and the main task for Paris is to find a way out of the crisis.

Molotkov came from Montana and became a hero in the French Cup

The club also has another direct connection with Bulgaria. In the 2025/26 season, one of its key players was Vasily Molotkov, who arrived in the French capital after his stint in Montana.
The Russian opposite became a hero in the French Cup final against Nice. Molotkov scored 33 points with 51% attack efficiency, and his ace ended the match. Paris won 3:1 (30:28, 25:23, 24:26, 26:24) and lifted the trophy for the first time since 2004. After the end of the season, Molotkov moved to Tours, where he will play alongside Earvin Ngapeth.
Just a few months after their French Cup triumph, Paris Volley is now fighting a completely different battle. The championship starts on October 17, and by then a solution must be found so that Prandi and his team can think about volleyball.

photo: Nikolay Varadinov