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Latest news from the world of volleyball
"It's a small world": Poriya will play with a Bulgarian again - this time in Qatar
Sometimes volleyball writes plots that even the boldest screenwriter couldn't invent. Just a few weeks after the high-profile "Porya case" in Civitanova, which also affected Alex Nikolov, Iranian outside hitter Porya Hossein Khanzadeh will once again share a locker room with a Bulgarian. Not in Italy, but in Qatar. Not at Lube, but at Al-Arabi. And not with Bulgaria's young star, but with a former Bulgarian national and current Qatari national 0 setting Borislav Georgiev.
Bulgaria in "group of death" at European Men's U22 Championship
The Bulgarian men's national volleyball team under 22 years old was drawn into the extremely tough second group of the European Championship 2026, which will take place from June 29 to July 4 in the Portuguese city of Albufeira. The draw, held at the CEV headquarters in Luxembourg, assigned the Bulgarians as opponents the reigning champion France, the traditional European powerhouse Italy, and the tough team of Czechia. This is a group without a weak team and without a "spare" match. France enters as the reigning European champion, Italy traditionally plays for medals in all age categories, and Czechia relies on physical power and strict tactical discipline. For Bulgaria, every set will matter, and differences could be decided in the details.
VC Maritsa (Plovdiv) is Team of December
VC Maritsa (Plovdiv) was chosen as Team No. 1 for December in the traditional poll of Press Club "Bulgaria" among sports newsrooms and media. The Plovdiv team gathered 16 votes out of a total of 26 voting journalists, convincingly winning the award. The recognition comes after another significant success for the club – the 11th Bulgarian Cup in VC Maritsa's history, which solidified the team's dominance in Bulgarian women's volleyball. The official award ceremony was accompanied by a press conference, in which the following took part:
Radostina Marinova qualified for the semi-finals of the Romanian Cup, meeting Petya Barakova's team
Dinamo București achieved a convincing away victory against Rapid with a 3:0 score (25:13, 25:17, 25:10) and easily qualified for the semifinals of the Romanian Cup. In the first two sets of the match, Bulgarian international Radostina Marinova was on the court, contributing 9 points, +5 efficiency, 1 ace, and 50% attack success. Her participation coincided with Dinamo's strongest phase in the match, when the team established control and decided the outcome of the match even before the third set. In the semifinals of the Romanian Cup, Dinamo will face CSM București, where setter Petya Barakova plays. The first match is on February 11th at Dinamo Hall, and the return leg – on March 4th at CSM's home.
Preslav Petkov and Sorrento on the verge of a sensation in the Italian Cup
Romeo Sorrento was on the verge of a sensation and qualifying for the Italian Cup semi-finals, but dramatically lost to Tinet Prata with a 3:2 set score (25:22, 25:21, 24:26, 21:25, 15:10). Umek and Terpin became heroes for the hosts, but for the visitors, national team player Preslav Petkov played a strong match, finishing with 9 points, +1 efficiency, 4 blocks, and 63% attack efficiency. The middle blocker distinguished himself with important blocks and a stable presence in crucial moments. Tinet took a 2:0 lead in sets after a better performance in attack and serve, but Sorrento showed character. In the third and fourth sets, Esposito's team raised their level in defense and blocking, with Petkov having a decisive contribution to tying the score at 2:2.
"Bulgarian" Ravenna is in the semifinals for the Italian Cup, Hristiyan Dimitrov with 19 points
Consar Ravenna qualified for the semi-finals of the Italian Cup in Serie A2 after a 3:1 (17:25, 25:23, 25:17, 25:20) victory over Rinascita Lagonegro in the quarter-final match. After a shaky first set, Valentini's team took the initiative, led in attack by the Bulgarian opposite Hristiyan Dimitrov, who scored 19 points, +12, 3 blocks, and achieved 47% attack efficiency, being the main scorer in crucial moments. His pressure on the block and effectiveness in attack tipped the scales in favor of Ravenna after the second set. Samuil Valchinov also got his minutes in the first and second sets, contributing 5 points, showing stability in reception and useful work on the block, where he made 2 direct points. Manuel Zlatanov also contributed significantly in offense, scoring 18 points, +2, 1 ace, 5 blocks, and maintaining Ravenna's high tempo in the decisive sets with consistent attack and blocking.
Alex Nikolov – 19 points and MVP in Lube's third victory in Group E of the Champions League
Alex Nikolov played another strong match in the Champions League and was named MVP in Cucine Lube Civitanova's third consecutive victory in Group E. The Italian team defeated Polish PGE Project Warsaw away with a score of 3:0 (25:19, 25:21, 27:25), securing their first place in the group. The Bulgarian international was the most productive player in the match with 19 points, once again leading his team's attack and posing a constant threat to the hosts' defense. The match began with significant pressure from the visitors, who took the initiative from the very first rallies. Alex Nikolov
Without Georgi Seganov, Alanya lost to Greenyard Maaseik and complicated their chances in the CEV Cup
Without former national setter Georgi Seganov, the Turkish On Hotels Alanya Belediyespor, representing its country in the CEV Cup 2026, seriously complicated its chances for qualifying for the next phase. Seganov, who is the team captain, did not start the match and did not enter until its end. In the first match of the round of 16 stage, played in Alanya 100 Yıl Recep Hacıfazlıoğlu Sports Hall, the hosts started well and won the first set, but ultimately lost to the Belgian Greenyard Maaseik with 1:3 (25:23, 17:25, 18:25, 20:25). After an even start, Alanya failed to maintain its level in the subsequent sets, where the Belgian team imposed a more stable serving game and a more effective attack, which gradually tilted the scales in its favor. The return leg will be played on January 28 in Belgium.
Elitsa Vasileva-Atanasijevic led Panionios to the quarterfinals of the Greek Cup
Panionios Betsson became the first team to secure a spot in the 1/4 finals of the Greek Women's Cup, after defeating A.S.P. Thetis as guests in Voula with a score of 3:0 (25:19, 25:14, 25:22). Thus, the team from Nea Smyrni enters the top eight for the second consecutive season, having reached the tournament final last year. Among the key figures in Dragan Nesic's squad was once again Bulgarian international Elitsa Atanasievich. She finished the match with 13 points, 3 blocks, and a very solid reception performance – 67% positive and 28% excellent, playing a crucial role in the most intense moments of the third set.
Sokolov did not make it – Halkbank allowed a comeback, Dermo with a phenomenal 39 points
Halkbank Ankara suffered a painful home defeat after squandering a 2-1 set lead and losing to Knack Roeselare 2-3 (18:25, 25:21, 26:24, 15:25, 12:15) in a dramatic Group B match. The match unfolded according to a scenario favorable for the Turkish powerhouse, but it turned into a demonstration of Belgian resilience and deadly attack efficiency. The statistics are telling – Roeselare scored a total of 71 points from attack against just 44 for Halkbank, a difference that ultimately tipped the scales. A crucial moment occurred early in the third set. Halkbank led 22:18 and seemed close to closing out the set, but a series of defensive and organizational fluctuations allowed the visitors to equalize at 24:24.