After the final whistle in Las Palmas, attention in front of the microphones naturally turned to two well-known Bulgarian volleyball players – representatives of the two teams that had just finished their European battle. Gordan Lyutskanov from Levski and Dobromir Dimitrov from Guaguas presented the bilateral view of the match – one from the position of the eliminated team, the other as part of the team moving forward. Their reactions provided the clearest picture of what happened on the court, the character of both squads, and the path that lies ahead for them.
Gordan Lyutskanov admitted that Levski had their moments against Guaguas Las Palmas, but the team did not start convincingly enough. According to him, the secondsetwas the strongest for "the Blues" – their serve troubled the Spaniards, their reception was shaky, and this allowed Levski to build a better block-defense game. Nevertheless, the team missed "easy situations" at the end of the set, which could have changed the outcome.
Lyutskanov also emphasized his personal motivation to play against stars like Osmany Juantorena and Matey Kaziyski – volleyball players who were his idols at the beginning of his career and who continue to be an example with their professionalism and form even at 40 years of age.
Dobromir Dimitrov emphasized that Guaguas Las Palmas' victory over Levski might have seemed easy, but it was actually the result of extremely hard and serious preparation. According to him, the qualification matches were among the toughest in recent years, and the pre-season work was one of the most intense. Despite the fatigue, the team managed to maintain a high level thanks to the experience and mutual assistance among the players.
He highlighted the character and strong winning mentality that allowed Las Palmas to overcome Levski, including in key moments such as at 24:21. According to him, every player in the team is ready to come in and give their maximum because "every ball is important" – a philosophy instilled by their coach.
Regarding Las Palmas' potential in the Champions League, Dimitrov stated that the team does not set high goals in advance, but will approach it "match by match" with the hope of maintaining a good level. If this happens, he believes they can achieve a significant result.
With a smile, the setter also recalled the old battles with Gordan Lyutskanov from the time he played for CSKA, noting that now both are "older, but also more experienced".
