Bulgarian national Alex Grozdanov revealed interesting and powerful details from his professional journey in a conversation for Michal Winiarczyk's podcast, and the topics are far from limited to his performance in Poland. The middle blocker spoke about his difficult first steps in Italy, the enormous influence of Nikola Grbić on his development, the volleyball school in Bulgaria, the differences between Serie A and PlusLiga, as well as the place of volleyball in his homeland.
The conversation outlines a career built without unnecessary fanfare, but with consistency, good choices, and the accumulation of experience at the highest level.

Volleyball in Bulgaria remains immediately after football.

Grozdanov is adamant that football continues to be the number one sport in Bulgaria, but volleyball steadily holds second place. According to him, interest in the game in Bulgaria still cannot compare to the scale in Poland, but in the last two to three years, a noticeable increase in popularity has been observed, largely due to the national team.
The national team and the strong generation from the recent past are among the reasons he fell in love with volleyball. Matey Kaziyski, Vladimir Nikolov, Tsvetan Sokolov, as well as the strong Bulgarian line of middle blockers, are the names that shaped his view of the game. Grozdanov also points out Viktor Yosifov, Nikolay Nikolov, and Teodor Todorov as players who left a serious imprint on his understanding of the blocker's role.

The Bulgarian school good foundations, but a need for a better system.

Regarding youth development, the national player provides an interesting and honest analysis. He explains that in the club where he grew up, the initial emphasis was on basic elements reception, clean touch in setting and only then did they move on to attack, approach, and block. According to him, this gradual development yielded results, as other national players also emerged from the same environment.
At the same time, Grozdanov admits that for a long time there was a lack of a sufficiently good connection between the federation and youth clubs in Bulgaria. For this reason, there was no unified system to guarantee the proper development of players. However, he sees a positive change in the last two summers and expresses hope that in the future, Bulgaria can come closer to Poland's model with sports schools built specifically for volleyball.

Early entry into men's volleyball accelerated his development.

Grozdanov was not one of those juniors who accumulated an impressive number of individual awards at international tournaments. He explains this quite logically he skipped the junior level very early and started playing with men. At just 17, he entered serious men's volleyball, and soon after, he was already in the national team.
According to him, this early encounter with men's sport was crucial. There you don't have ten trainings to correct a mistake you have one match, and if you don't react quickly, next time you might stay on the bench. Besides purely game-related growth, he also emphasizes something else very important the encounter with a professional way of life.
Grozdanov recounts that from older players, he saw what consistency means: nutrition, sleep, discipline, and attitude towards the training process. He believes that this daily consistency makes the difference between a promising talent and a true professional.

Italy the big leap and the big shock.

One of the most powerful moments in the conversation is the memory of his departure for Italy. Grozdanov was only 19 years old when he headed to Serie A. His mother asked him if he was ready, and he left with the clear understanding that if he succeeded, he would move forward, and if not, he would return.
It turns out that the big challenge was not just in the hall. The Bulgarian recounts with humor how he got his driving license only two days before leaving for Italy, and just two hours after landing, the club had already given him car keys, telling him he could drive home alone. Thus, parallel to adapting to professional volleyball, he also had to learn to live independently to cook, do laundry, maintain a home, and cope in a completely new environment.
According to him, the first year in Italy developed him greatly, not only as a player but also as a person.

Nikola Grbić the right man at the right time.

The most emotional highlight is undoubtedly related to Nikola Grbić. Grozdanov admits that he was not enthusiastic about the prospect of going to Italy as a reserve middle blocker, but when he learned that Grbić was the coach there, he looked at the situation in a completely different way.
He is convinced that the Serbian specialist was the person from whom he could learn an immense amount about volleyball and professional life. The Bulgarian describes him as an "incredible person" and admits that he felt him "like a big brother." He further adds that the common language and the closeness between the two cultures also helped in their communication.
This is a particularly important detail because it shows that in the early stage of his career, Grozdanov not only encountered a big name but a coach who facilitated his adaptation to the difficult transition from the Bulgarian to the world elite.

Serie A – the place where you understand how big the difference is

Grozdanov very vividly describes his first real encounter with the level in Italy. Already during the pre-season training, he was impressed by the speed and power of the serve, which were on a completely different level. He recalls a specific moment from a friendly match when the ball simply "flew" past him with such speed that after the rally, he wondered how it was even possible for it to be hit that way.
It was in Italy that he realized how vast the gap is between a young talent and a seasoned professional. It's not just about physique, but about tactical culture, reading the game, understanding the setter on the other side of the net, and details that are not visible from the outside.
At the same time, Serie A also gave him the first real signs that hard work pays off. He recalls one of his early matches where he finished with eight blocks – a moment that brought him great satisfaction and showed that his place at this level was not accidental.

Building step by step – Verona, Belgium, Ravenna, Monza

In his career, Grozdanov doesn't single out just one season as a turning point. On the contrary – he views his development as an accumulation of different stages.
His first two years in Verona gave him time to refine his technique and smoothly enter professional volleyball. The short period in Belgium, where he went as a medical joker (injury replacement), proved to be an important transition from the status of a player who mostly sat on the bench to someone who re-entered the rhythm of matches. There came the title, strong duels, and the feeling that he could carry weight.
After that, Ravenna primarily gave him confidence. It was there that he began to convert his accumulated experience into real value on the court. Monza, in turn, proved to be an important stage on a personal level because it confronted him with more difficult moments, greater competition, and the need to cope mentally when playing time was not guaranteed.
All this shaped a player who was not built in one explosion, but through a long process of accumulation.

Working with Radostin Stoychev – a tough but useful school

Grozdanov also commented on his period under the leadership of Radostin Stoychev. He does not hide that the Bulgarian coach works in a more old-fashioned, tough, and emotional model, which is not easy for every athlete. There were difficult moments and tension.
Nevertheless, the middle blocker is convinced that this stage helped him. According to him, Stoychev is exceptionally strong in volleyball matters – tactically, technically, and in the training process. The work was tough, but useful. And for Grozdanov himself, an additional plus was the fact that a common language facilitated communication.

Regarding Matey Kaziyski – not a traitor, but a man with a stance

One of the topics on which Grozdanov speaks most calmly and clearly is related to Matey Kaziyski and his long absence from the national team. The Bulgarian international is adamant that he understands the legend's position. According to him, Kaziyski had a clear idea of what needed to be changed in the environment around the national team and the federation, and many people should have shown more understanding towards this.
Grozdanov believes that the conflict escalated too much on both sides, but he also emphasizes something else very important – the refusal to play for the national team during a certain period likely helped Kaziyski prolong his career. According to him, the volleyball calendar is relentless, and top-level players often have no more than a few days of rest between the club and national team seasons.

The busy calendar – a big problem for modern volleyball

Grozdanov is particularly frank on this topic. He believes that the current system burdens athletes to an extreme. If you reach the club finals, you often get only a few days of break, after which preparation with the national team begins, immediately followed by matches, long travels, and new tournaments.
According to him, this constant movement around the world literally "kills" the athletes' bodies. The lack of time for recovery, correction of minor injuries, and mental release is among the biggest problems in modern volleyball. He expresses hope that in the future, decision-makers will think more about the players' health.

PlusLiga – even greater popularity and an even tougher rhythm

The move to Poland brought a new type of challenge. Grozdanov admits that he knew PlusLiga had a very high level, but he hadn't fully realized how immense the popularity of volleyball is there. According to him, in Poland, fans recognize athletes on the street and ask for photos, something that is much more pronounced even compared to Italy.
However, the most difficult part of the adaptation was not related to sports technique, but to organization. The lack of a consistent rhythm in the schedule, frequent televised matches on different days, and long overnight travels proved to be a serious problem. For him, sleep suffered the most from this rhythm.
From a sports perspective, Grozdanov is impressed by the depth of the league. In Poland, you can lose to almost anyone if you are not concentrated enough. The difference between the teams is not that great, which requires consistency in every match.

Lublin – a project that has turned into a force

Grozdanov also speaks with respect about his club. According to him, what Lublin has achieved in a relatively short time is impressive. The entire city lives for sports, and the support from sponsors, audience, and the local community is palpable.
He describes the club's organization as very good and emphasizes that this is one of the reasons such a project is growing so quickly. For an athlete of his caliber, such an environment is obviously important not only for results but also for daily peace of mind.

The 'Leon' effect and the locker room atmosphere

Upon arriving in Lublin, Grozdanov already saw the team as having the potential for great things. After Wilfredo Leon's arrival, the sense of possibility became even stronger. The Bulgarian speaks not only of his qualities on the court but also of his influence in the locker room.
He describes Leon as a very down-to-earth person and even says he feels him 'like a different brother'. He emphasizes that the star does not act arrogantly, but on the contrary – he is ready to help and be part of the team. His very presence in the team motivates the others to push themselves even more, because they know they have a world-class player and must meet that level.

Illness, difficult moments, and professionalism

Grozdanov also touches upon difficult physical periods, including a match in which he played with a temperature of 38-39 degrees and after a viral illness. Such moments only highlight the demanding calendar and the price athletes pay during the most intense stages of the season.
This is where the character of the Bulgarian international shines through – a player who does not dramatize but accepts difficulties as part of the profession.

Mentors in the national team

At the beginning of his journey with the men's national team, Grozdanov admits he was anxious because he found himself among players he had only seen on television until then. Gradually, however, he received support from the more experienced ones.
He particularly highlights Tsvetan Sokolov, Teodor Salparov, Viktor Yosifov, and Boyan Yordanov. They helped him fit in, better understand the game, and navigate the demands of the high level. He speaks of Sokolov and Yordanov, in particular, as figures who played an important mentoring role.

A look at Bulgaria's future

At the end of the conversation, the topic naturally turned to the next generations in the national team. Grozdanov is calm about the future and sees serious potential in young Bulgarian athletes. He clearly indicates that the generational change is a process already underway, and new names provide sufficient grounds for optimism.
The experience of the older players and the energy of the younger ones must meet at the right moment – this is the direction in which the Bulgarian national team itself is moving.

A conversation that reveals more than statistics

Alex Grozdanov's interview is not just a series of recollections. It outlines the profile of an athlete who built his career far from sensational headlines, but through consistent growth, the right coaches, and a strong inner compass.
From Bulgaria through Italy, Belgium, and again Serie A to Poland, Grozdanov has passed through different volleyball cultures, and the most valuable conclusion from his words is clear: high-level volleyball doesn't just teach you how to block, attack, or read the game. It teaches you how to live as a professional.
And when along the way you encounter figures like Nikola Grbic, mentors like Tsvetan Sokolov, and an environment like the one in Lublin, growth is no longer a coincidence, but a natural process.