Only one round remains until the end of the regular season in efbet Super Volley, and the intrigue surrounding first place remains fully alive. Levski and Lokomotiv Avia have an equal number of points after the 20th round, with "the Blues" at the top solely due to a better set ratio.
At the same time, the top eight is practically clear, and the last round will primarily matter for the distribution of opponents in the quarterfinals.
Results from Round 20
Dunav – Neftochimic 2010 0:3
CSKA – Levski 0:3
Cherno More – Pirin 0:3
Slavia – Montana 1:3
Lokomotiv Avia – Beroe 2016 3:1
The round confirmed the dual power at the top. Levski convincingly won their away game against CSKA, while Lokomotiv Avia did not allow an upset against Beroe.
Neftochimic also achieved an expected success against Dunav and remained firmly in third position, while Montana took another important step towards participating in the playoffs.
Provisional standings after Round 20
| Place | Team | Points | Matches | Wins | Losses | Sets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Levski | 49 | 19 | 17 | 2 | 53:16 |
| 2 | Lokomotiv Avia | 49 | 19 | 17 | 2 | 54:17 |
| 3 | Neftochimik 2010 | 44 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 47:19 |
| 4 | CSKA | 39 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 47:27 |
| 5 | Beroe 2016 | 30 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 38:33 |
| 6 | Deya Sport | 29 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 37:39 |
| 7 | Pirin | 27 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 34:36 |
| 8 | Montana Volley | 22 | 20 | 7 | 13 | 32:46 |
| 9 | Cherno More | 11 | 19 | 3 | 16 | 18:50 |
| 10 | Slavia | 8 | 19 | 3 | 16 | 17:54 |
| 11 | Dunav | 7 | 19 | 1 | 18 | 15:55 |
The intrigue at the top remains serious. Levski and Lokomotiv have equal points, but the team from the capital is the leader due to a better game ratio - 3.31 against 3.18.
Changes in the playoff zone are unlikely, but the final standings will determine the opponents in the quarterfinals.
Schedule for the 21st round (last of the regular season)
Neftochimik 2010 – Lokomotiv Avia
Beroe 2016 – Slavia
Cherno More – Deya Sport
Pirin – CSKA
Levski – Dunav
Predictions for the last round
Neftochimik 2010 – Lokomotiv Avia3:2
Beroe 2016 – Slavia3:1
Cherno More – Dea Sport1:3
Pirin – CSKA1:3
Levski – Dunav3:0
Levski seems to have the most favorable task – a home match against last-place Dunav. At the same time, Lokomotiv Avia will face a serious challenge when visiting Neftochimic in Burgas. Dunav will almost certainly play a playoff against the second-placed team from the Superleague (this is possible because this year there are 11 teams in the elite).
Predicted playoff bracket
| Quarter-final | Pair |
|---|---|
| 1 | Levski – Montana Volley |
| 2 | Lokomotiv Avia – Pirin |
| 3 | Neftochimic 2010 – Dea Sport |
| 4 | CSKA – Beroe 2016 |
The most intriguing series at this stage seems to be CSKA – Beroe, where the difference between the two teams is minimal.
There is also significant excitement surrounding the potential Burgas clash between Neftochimic and Dea, which traditionally offers contested matches.
If the predictions are confirmed, Levski will retain first place and consequently the most favorable path to the semi-finals.
