A.S. Volley Lube will not be able to rely on Alex Nikolov in the upcoming key match against Allianz Milano – the last game of the autumn half-season in the Italian SuperLega. The Bulgarian outside hitter has been suspended for one match due to accumulated cards.

This accumulation started as early as Lube's away match against Monza.
The Disciplinary Committee's decision provoked an immediate reaction from the Civitanova club, which expressed "deep disappointment and bitterness" at the imposed measure. Lube emphasizes that the sanction comes at an extremely sensitive moment and places the team at a disadvantage before the important match.

In its official statement, the management declares that after reviewing the television footage from the match against Modena in "PalaPanini", during the fourth set, no instances of unsportsmanlike conduct by Nikolov were found. The club reminds that the game was played in an excellent spirit of fair play and in front of a magnificent crowd – factors which, according to them, make the punishment even more inexplicable.

In Italy, it is commented that the punishment is an automatic consequence of accumulated warnings in previous matches. Nevertheless, Lube believes that this specific case deserves a more thorough examination, as the facts from the recording do not correspond to the severity of the imposed sanction.

The club is considering whether to file an official appeal, although such penalties are rarely overturned. For now, however, the fact remains that the league's most prolific player will miss the decisive match of the half-season due to a sanction that the club deems unfair and unfounded.
The sanction comes at the most inconvenient moment in the championship. The last matches this Saturday and Sunday will determine the final quarter-final pairings for the Italian Cup. By losing its main scorer, Lube risks losing its match against its direct rival for sixth place - Milano. The match between the two teams is in Civitanova this Sunday at 7 PM Bulgarian time. The only "good" thing is that Lube plays in front of its home crowd.
Another angle of this sanction is that the direct competitor for the most prolific volleyball player award, Ferre Reggers from Milano, will have no obstacles to accumulate points in the absence of the current leader in this ranking.
It remains to be seen how this dramatic turn of events in the championship will unfold for Alex Nikolov and company.