The setter of the Bulgarian men's national volleyball teamStoil Palevspoke to the media after the open training in Samokov. The Levski Sofia playmaker shared his impressions of the preparation and expectations for the upcoming World Championship.

"The mood is very good. The whole base here is unique. And when we go to the upcoming World Championship, we will show our best volleyball we are capable of," Palev stated emphatically.

He clarified that the goal for the "lions" is to first pass the group stage:
"Let's start by getting out of the group first, and then we'll look forward. And to climb as high as possible first in the rankings and then think about medals, for example."

The setter is confident in the team's strength against the upcoming opponents:
"We cannot say that our opponents worry us. We met two of these teams - Germany and Slovenia - in the Volleyball Nations League, we defeated them. So all teams are beatable."

Regarding the competition for his position and the role of the coaching staff, Palev said:
"Whether we will play with one or two opposites, the coaches decide that. As setters with Simeon Nikolov, we are obliged to agree with their decision. There are always aches and pains, but physically we are fine. The competition with Moni Nikolov is good competition. The more good players there are in a team, the more that team grows. It's good to have competition."
The outside hitter of the national teamMartin Atanasovalso commented on the preparation and the current situation in the squad. He emphasized how important the role of libero Martin Bozhilov was, who retired from the national team at the end of July.

"The absence of Marten Bozhilov is certainly felt, because he brings a lot of experience on the court and it is really felt by the younger guys. I don't know how we will work together, we are trying different guys in the squad at this position at the moment. There are quality guys and I think with the hard work we have done so far, we will manage not to miss him that much," Atanasov said.

He did not hide that the heavy loads in training are already being felt:
"We feel good, we are a little tired, which is completely normal in this period. We changed the rhythm this week - the trainings are shorter but more intense. This is a long process that requires patience. We are giving our best for this preparation."

Regarding the upcoming World Championship, Atanasov preferred to maintain a realistic tone:
"I don't want to make any predictions for the World Championship. I think we are all positive, we all have a good mindset. The guys are motivated and I think we can do very good things."

He admitted that Germany and Slovenia remain tough opponents:
"We played against Germany and Slovenia, we had two good matches. They are dangerous opponents. I don't want to comment on the matches yet, because there is a lot of time until then. It will certainly be very tough. It will be much tougher than the Nations League. We will approach each match individually, as these teams play different volleyball."

"One month is a long enough period to get into optimal shape. We are preparing at a very high level, although there are times when fatigue affects our mood. This is completely normal for the preparatory period - at the beginning, the loads are serious, but gradually the physical burden will be reduced, and more emphasis will be placed on volleyball." With these words, the captain of the national team began his conversation with the mediaAlex Grozdanov.

"The disappointment from the last match is a fact, but we should not forget that in previous years we fought to stay in the League. This year we achieved our best ranking so far. It is important to go step by step and learn from missed opportunities."

"We are already thinking about the upcoming opponents. We met Slovenia and Germany this summer, and our victories against them give us confidence. I hope we enter the tournament confidently."

"I am glad that there is healthy competition. Borko Nachev had an injury at the beginning of the summer, but he has already recovered and is performing excellently. Preslav Petkov also made very strong appearances, even though he has not had regular practice at club level. This can only make the team happy."

"I don't want to give categorical predictions, but for me, the main goal is to get out of the groups. This is important because in recent years we have had difficulties at this stage. From then on, anything is possible, as long as we are healthy. First, we want to make the public happy."

"We follow the successes of the young nationals - this is strong motivation and joy for us. We see that this is the right path. Big European teams have several high-level squads, and rotation is constant. I hope Bulgaria also moves in this direction."

"If we get out of the group, familiar opponents await us again - USA and Cuba. We have something to repay the Cubans for. In the Nations League, we played a good match against them, but we still lacked experience. We will prepare for each match individually."

"Yes, there are quite a few debutants in the squad. Those of us who have already played in a World Championship try to help, relieve tension, and pass on our experience. But in the end, everyone must walk their own path and learn how to prepare mentally and physically," Grozdanov concluded