The draw for the French Volleyball Cup Last 16 offered several intriguing clashes, with particular attention drawn to the two Bulgarian highlights in the competition. The teams of Saint-Nazaire, where Vladimir Garkov plays, and Tourcoing, whose team Venislav Antov represents, will face some of the toughest challenges on the way to the quarterfinals.
Saint-Nazaire vs. Montpellier
The Saint-Nazaire team, which has solidified its position as a stable squad in Ligue A in recent seasons, will face Montpellier – one of the giants of French volleyball and runner-up from the 2024/25 season. This will be a serious test for Garkov's team.
Montpellier, whose ranks included national player Dimitar Dimitrov until last season, enters the tournament directly at this stage, having been among the six clubs automatically qualified for the Last 16.
Tours – Tourcoing
No less challenging is the draw for Tourcoing, where Bulgarian opposite hitter Venislav Antov plays. His team will have to go through a tough away match against Tours – one of the most decorated clubs in French volleyball and a regular participant in European tournaments. This is the former club of legend Vladimir Nikolov.
For young Antov, this will be an excellent opportunity to show his development against an opponent with an exceptionally deep squad and powerful attack. Tourcoing has been performing stably since the beginning of the season, but the match on November 25 will be a real test of the team's collective resilience.
Full schedule for the Last 16 (November 25)
L'Abeille Girondine – Paris
Saint-Nazaire – Montpellier
Martigues – Royan
Cannes – Poitiers
Tours – Tourcoing
Fréjus – Saint-Quentin
Ajaccio – Chaumont
Plessis-Robinson – Nice
Final at the new "Adidas Arena"
The French Cup final will take place in"Adidas Arena"– Paris' newest sports arena, located in the district ofPorte de la ChapelleThe complex was opened on the occasion of the Olympic Games and is already becoming one of the centers of French volleyball.
The draw for the round of 16 was not kind to the Bulgarian volleyball players in France. BothVladimir Garkov, andVenislav Antov will have to show their best if they want to advance in the tournament. The matches on November 25 promise a spectacle, and the French Cup will once again prove to be a stage where surprises are never lacking.
