Hours before the 1/4-final clash between Bulgaria and Spain, it is still unclear whether we will see the young hope Nikola Konstantinov \u2013 Plamen Konstantinov's nephew \u2013 play. The outside hitter with №17 sustained an ankle injury in the very first game of the dramatically won match against the USA.
The national team's medical staff is doing everything possible to prepare the player for participation in the crucial match. Efforts are focused on Konstantinov being in optimal condition if he has to help the team against the tough Spanish team.
How Bulgaria got here:
| Match No. | Opponent | Result | Games | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #5 | Algeria | 3:0 | 25-17, 25-17, 25-19 | Group stage |
| #17 | China | 3:1 | 25-17, 25-23, 22-25, 25-19 | Group stage |
| #29 | Japan | 3:1 | 25-23, 27-25, 20-25, 25-16 | Group stage |
| #41 | Canada | 3:0 | 25-17, 25-23, 25-21 | Group stage |
| #50 | France | 0:3 | 18-25, 25-27, 19-25 | Group stage |
| #68 | USA | 3:2 | 25-22, 25-23, 20-25, 14-25, 16-14 | Round of 16 |
How did Spain reach a match against Bulgaria:
| Match No. | Opponent | Result | Games | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #3 | Iran | 3:2 | 25-22, 20-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-12 | Group stage |
| #18 | Egypt | 3:1 | 25-20, 23-25, 25-16, 25-20 | Group stage |
| #30 | Poland | 3:1 | 25-19, 25-17, 20-25, 25-22 | Group stage |
| #45 | Italy | 1:3 | 25-22, 29-31, 17-25, 27-29 | Group stage |
| #54 | Tunisia | 3:0 | 25-14, 25-19, 25-20 | Group stage |
| #65 | Argentina | 3:0 | 25-22, 25-23, 27-25 | Round of 16 |
It is an interesting fact that the two teams did not meet last year during the U18 European Championship held in Sofia and Plovdiv. In that tournament, the Spaniards finished in fourth place. They lost 0-3 in the semi-final against the future champion France, and in the battle for bronze, they lost to Poland 2-3.
