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Latest news from the world of volleyball
Jasmine Velichkov and the new generation in the Super League, where youth already dictates the game
Zhasmin Velichkov ranks among the most promising young faces in the Italian SuperLega already in his debut season with Vero Volley Monza. This is highlighted by an analysis on the Italian websitevolleynews.it, prepared by journalist Giuliano Bindoni.The 18-year-old receiver for Vero Volley Monza entered one of the most competitive leagues in the world with expectations, but also with clear recommendations from experts. Even before his transfer, Bulgaria's national team coach Gianlorenzo Blengini emphasized that he is a player with early developed qualities – stable in reception, with good game intelligence and serious physical potential at 203 centimeters. At the same time, the focus was on the need for further development – both technically and physically. However, Velichkov's first season in Italy shows that his adaptation has been more than successful.
Canada faces Bulgaria in the VNL with Van Ryk in the lineup
The Bulgarian women's national team will face Canada in the Nations League 2026 against an opponent who, this time, will be in their most dangerous form – with Kiera Van Ryk in the squad. The opposite hitter returns to the team, led by former Bulgaria coach Giovanni Guidetti, after being unavailable for much of 2025. This is crucial news for the upcoming clash, as she is the main scorer for the Canadians. In 2025, Bulgaria faced Canada twice – under different circumstances, but with the same final outcome. The first match was in the Nations League, where Canada had Van Ryk.
Ivan Stanev's wife is a candidate for a member of parliament in Burgas
The wife of former national volleyball setter Ivan Stanev – Tsveti Staneva, has been nominated as a candidate for a member of parliament by GERB in Burgas for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Her candidacy was also announced through her social media post, in which she declares that she is embarking on a "new path," driven by responsibility and a desire to make decisions "with a clear position, with care for people, and with a thought for the future." Shortly thereafter, public support from Ivan Stanev followed, who, through a personal post, expressed appreciation for her resilience, responsibility, and consistency. Ivan Stanev is a well-known name in Bulgarian volleyball – a former national team player and current head coach of Neftochimic Burgas. Besides sports, he also plays an active role in local government as a municipal councilor in Burgas from the GERB list and chairman of the permanent commission for sports, children, and youth activities.Photo: Ivan Stanev's Facebook profile
"Bulgarian" derby Monza - Padua in the Challenge Cup playoffs
Three Bulgarian volleyball players will be in focus for the playoffs for 5th place in the Italian SuperLega – a competition that grants the right to participate in the Challenge Cup tournament for the 2026/27 season. These are Martin Atanasov and Zhasmin Velikov from Vero Volley Monza, as well as Boris Nachev from Sonepar Padova. Right at the start of the eliminations, the draw pits the two teams against each other in a direct clash, automatically turning the series into a "Bulgarian" derby. Vero Volley Monza, who finished the regular season in 8th place and were eliminated in the quarter-finals for the Scudetto, will face 9th-placed Sonepar Padova in one of the quarter-final series. The series will be played to two wins out of a maximum of three matches, with the first and eventual third match being hosted by the team ranked higher in the regular season – in this case, Monza.
Last chance: Let's take Moni Nikolov to the top!
Silver medalist from the 2025 World Championship with Bulgaria, Simeon Nikolov, is centimeters away from a spot in the Dream Team of the regular season in the Russian Super League. The finish line is here – and everything will be decided in the final hours. Currently, the 19-year-old Bulgarian setter is second in the voting with33%,5%– the Russian leads with38%.15%, Roman Poroshin (Belogorie) with5%, Pavel Pankov (Dynamo) with4%, Igor Kobzar (Zenit) with3% and Micah Ma'a (Fakel Yamal) with2%. This is a battle that can be won. The difference is completely surmountable.
Alex Nikolov at a Vakifbank match, which broke Milan after drama and is in the Final Four
VakıfBank Istanbul qualified for the Final Four of the Champions League after eliminating Vero Volley Milano with a 3:2 (25:22, 16:25, 25:16, 23:25, 15:12) victory in the return leg of the quarter-final playoff. The Turkish team advances with two wins, having also won the first match in Italy with a 3:2 score. The match in Istanbul offered a full dose of tension. The guests from Milano managed to force the match into a tie-break, and in the decisive set, they even led 11:10. However, a comeback followed – the hosts equalized, took the initiative, and closed out the match with a 15:12 score.
The semifinal pairs in the Demax League women's competition have become clear
The quartet of semi-finalists in our women's championship is now fully clear. Maritsa, CSKA, and Levski have been joined by the CPVC team, which also concluded its quarter-final series in two matches. Thus, in the next phase, we will see two intriguing clashes – the champion against the 'Reds' and a Sofia derby between Levski and CPVC. Maritsa – Slavia 3:0 (25:12, 25:8, 25:12)The champions from Maritsa solidified their dominance in the second match against Slavia, leaving no chance for their opponent. The team from Plovdiv completely controlled the game with strong serving and aggressive attacking.
Fenerbahçe of Abondanza dropped out of the Champions League after drama with Scandicci and a golden set
Fenerbahce said goodbye to the Women's Champions League finals after an extremely dramatic return match against Scandicci. The team led by national coach Marcello Abbondanza managed to send the match to a golden set after winning 3:1 (32:30, 19:25, 25:13, 27:25), but in the decisive moments the Italian side showed stronger nerves and triumphed 15:13. The hosts played a match under immense pressure and at times seemed capable of completing the comeback. Melissa Vargas and Arina Fedorovtseva led Fenerbahce with an impressive attacking performance, and the team showed character to achieve the necessary success and equalize the overall balance between the two teams. In the golden set, however, Scandicci entered more focused.
Lokomotiv overturned Kuzbass in the charity Siberian derby, Moni Nikolov finished with 7 points
Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk) defeated Kuzbass (Kemerovo) with a score of 3:1 (20:25, 28:26, 25:20, 25:15) in a charity match dedicated to the fight against childhood oncology. The match at Lokomotiv Arena had a special emotional charge because it was organized jointly with the "Protect Life" foundation, and ticket revenues were directed to support children with oncological diseases. The match also held purely sporting value for Plamen Konstantinov's team on the eve of the playoffs, but the cause was at the heart of the evening. That's why the presence of Sam Deroo, who also participated in the match and scored 4 points, resonated especially strongly. The Belgian, who is fighting his own battle with an oncological disease, became one of the faces of the event and further emphasized the meaning of the initiative.
Simeon Nikolov: I came to Russia to play. My dream is the Olympics
Bulgarian international Simeon Nikolov continues to solidify his status as one of the new figures in world volleyball. After Bulgaria's historic silver medal from the 2025 World Championship, the setter made a key career choice and joined Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk). In an interview for "Championat" with Elena Kovalenko, he reveals his philosophy on the game, life in Russia, and his big goal. Early in his professional career, Nikolov chose the difficult route. Instead of seeking a more comfortable environment, he opted for development through competition and responsibility.