Only a few days remain until the start of SuperLega Credem Banca 2025/26 – the strongest volleyball championship on the planet. The Italian SuperLega will once again offer a spectacle of the highest level, and this season also has a serious Bulgarian accent.
Six Bulgarian national players will compete in the elite league: Alex Nikolov withCucine Lube Civitanova, Boris Nachev withSonepar Padova, Iliya Petkov and Georgi Tatarov withYuasa Battery Grottazzolina, as well as Martin Atanasov and Zhasmin Velichkov withMint Vero Volley Monza. This means that almost every week there will be at least one match with Bulgarian participation.
The first "Bulgarian" derby
Already in the opening round of the championship, fans will witness a true Bulgarian derby:
Cucine Lube Civitanova – Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina,
which will be played on Monday, October 20, 2025, at 8:30 PM in theEurosuole Forumin Civitanova Marche.
It is interesting that the two teams already met very recently – in the third-place match of the Jesi Volley Cup, where Grottazzolina defeated Lube. At that time, however, the "cooks" were without their national players, including Alex Nikolov, who had just returned from participating with Bulgaria at the World Championship in the Philippines.
Before the fifth round, which is scheduled for November 16, Giampaolo Medei's team will participate in the Final Four of the Del Monte® Supercoppa in Saudi Arabia (November 8–9). There, Lube will compete for the trophy with Rana Verona, Sir Safety Perugia, and Itas Trentino. After returning from the Arabian Peninsula, Nikolov and his teammates will visit Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza, and then matches against Rana Verona, Padova, and Cuneo await them.
Bulgarian derbies during the season
Here is the full calendar of matches between teams with Bulgarian participation – matches that fans in our country will follow with special interest:
| Date | Round | Home Team | Away Team | Bulgarians by Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 20, 2025 | 1 | Cucine Lube Civitanova | Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina | Lube: Alex Nikolov • Grottazzolina: Iliya Petkov, Georgi Tatarov |
| November 2, 2025 | 4 | Sonepar Padova | Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina | Padova: Boris Nachev • Grottazzolina: Petkov, Tatarov |
| November 23, 2025 | 7 | Sonepar Padova | Cucine Lube Civitanova | Padova: Nachev • Lube: Nikolov |
| December 3, 2025 | 9 | Mint Vero Volley Monza | Cucine Lube Civitanova | Monza: Atanasov, Velichkov Lube: Nikolov |
| December 7, 2025 | 10 | Sonepar Padova | Mint Vero Volley Monza | Padova: Nachev Monza: Atanasov, Velichkov |
| December 14, 2025 | 11 | Mint Vero Volley Monza | Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina | Monza: Atanasov, Velichkov Grottazzolina: Petkov, Tatarov |
| January 11, 2026 | 15 | Cucine Lube Civitanova | Sonepar Padova | Lube: Nikolov Padova: Nachev |
| January 14, 2026 | 16 | Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina | Cucine Lube Civitanova | Grottazzolina: Petkov, Tatarov Lube: Nikolov |
| January 25, 2026 | 18 | Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina | Sonepar Padova | Grottazzolina: Petkov, Tatarov ", Padova: Nachev |
| February 1, 2026 | 19 | Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina | Mint Vero Volley Monza | Grottazzolina: Petkov, Tatarov ", Monza: Atanasov, Velichkov |
| February 15, 2026 | 20 | Mint Vero Volley Monza | Sonepar Padova | Monza: Atanasov, Velichkov ", Padova: Nachev |
| February 25, 2026 | 22 | Cucine Lube Civitanova | Mint Vero Volley Monza | Lube: Nikolov ", Monza: Atanasov, Velichkov |
Where to watch
All matches from SuperLega Credem Banca 2025/26 will be broadcast live on VBTV (the official platform of the Italian league), with the main derbies also available on DAZN and Rai Sport.
MAX Sport Bulgaria is also expected to announce in the coming weeks which matches it will broadcast live – including the "Bulgarian" clashes, which are sure to generate significant interest among volleyball fans in our country.
Comment:
The 2025/26 season promises to be the most "Bulgarian" in the history of the SuperLega. More local players – more emotions, more intriguing games, and undoubtedly more reasons for pride.
Italy will once again be the stage where the Bulgarians will prove that they belong to the elite of world volleyball.
