Borislav Krachanov is on the final stretch in preparing the women's national U20 team for the European Championship in Sofia. The young coach held a training session open to the media in Hristo Botev Hall, where the matches of our group will take place.

"I hope we play better with each match of the championship," Krachanov commented to the official website of the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation. "The tournament is long. It's tough for all teams, and I expect surprises."
 

Our national team finished third at the Balkan Championship in Albania. The championship was the main part of their preparation.
 

"These were our first official matches; we saw what we needed to improve," Krachanov continued. "After we returned from the Balkan Championship, we managed to 'tweak' these minor details. This way, we will feel more secure."
 

Two of the U18 European champions, Dimana Ivanova and Viktoria Ninova, joined the team. Despite their young age, both will be part of the team at the championship.
 

"They were in our extended squad from the very beginning," Krachanov continued. "We waited for them to fulfill their commitment. And they did it in the best possible way. In the training process, a sense of calm is evident from their side; their experience and confidence they have accumulated are apparent."

The Netherlands is the only team still unknown to the Bulgarian staff. It's good for our coaches that the match against the "Tulips" is not until the fifth. Until then, information will be gathered. Our most serious opponent in the group is Turkey, and Krachanov places Croatia in second place.

"At home, the walls always help, but the pressure is great," our coach continued. "The girls have not played in such forums in front of a home crowd. I hope we manage to abstract ourselves from the tension. We must play better in every match. I wish the Bulgarian fans to always be with us. And for us to feel confident and obliged to make them happy. I don't like to talk about goals. The staff and the girls have set them, but I will keep them to myself."

Photos: Nikolay Varadinov