Immediately after the match, some of the players spoke briefly to our microphone:


Preslav Petkov:

"I entered the second set and, unfortunately, it wasn't for good, because Iliya had to leave. I hope everything is alright with him – he is my teammate and a close friend. At first, I was worried because I came in unexpectedly and saw Iliya limping off. But the guys inside motivated me, and I managed to overcome the tension. It wasn't easy – a World Championship debut is always tough. But that's volleyball. Now we're looking forward to the quarterfinals."

Martin Atanasov:

"The first set started slowly, perhaps because of the long breaks in this championship – you lose your rhythm. We seemed more sluggish and didn't handle the ball well. Then we stabilized, reduced our errors, and took control. I hope Iliya is well, and Preslav came in very strong and helped a lot. For the quarterfinal, it doesn't matter who we play against – there are no weak opponents here. The most important match is this very one, and we will give our all for it."

Asparuh Asparuhov:

"At the beginning, our game didn't get going, and we made quite a few errors, including my own from serve. That's part of volleyball – you have to overcome such moments to win. Thank God, it seems that Iliya doesn't have a serious injury, and Preslav did exactly what was asked of him. Everyone must be ready to come off the bench. For the quarterfinal, we will prepare as always – tactically and mentally. The championship is unusual with these breaks, but the important thing is to stay healthy and focused."

Simeon Nikolov:

"In the first set, we made a total of eight service errors – it's a lot, but it happens. Then we found our rhythm and managed to win. Our hearts sank when Iliya had to leave, but fortunately, he doesn't have a serious injury. Preslav replaced him admirably and helped tremendously. The quarterfinal is the most important match of any championship – you go out and play as if your life depends on it. We are ready for this battle."

Alex Nikolov:

"Yes, eight errors in the first set are too many, but the important thing is that we won it. And when you make a service error and the opponent has a chance to make a sideout but also makes a mistake – that, in a way, worked against them too. Of course, we shouldn't make excuses – these errors are too many for a game's start. We all got a scare when Iliya fell, but I think he will be alright. He is tough, I am sure he will be back. For the quarterfinal, it doesn't matter who we face – both teams are equally strong. The important thing is for Iliya to be with us because he is a key player, but we will also be ready to give our all wholeheartedly."