The Stage Is Set in Italy

The spotlight turns to the young guns of Bulgarian volleyball as head coach Miroslav Zhirov reveals the expanded roster for the U18 men’s national team. The mission? Prepare for the European Championship, a high-stakes tournament running from July 7 to July 18 in Porto San Giorgio and San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy. This isn’t just a trip; it’s a trial by fire. The Bulgarian lads will face a gauntlet of continental heavyweights, including France, Belgium, Czechia, Spain, Germany, Romania, and the Netherlands in the group stage. The pressure is on, and the expectations are sky-high.

Montenegro: The Dress Rehearsal

Before the Italian showdown, the team must conquer the Balkans. From June 25 to June 29, the U18s will compete in the Balkan Championship in Montenegro. This tournament serves as the critical dress rehearsal, a chance to sharpen tactics and build chemistry under pressure. The training camp is currently underway in Samokov, where the federation’s leadership, including Bulgarian Volleyball Federation president Lubomir Ganev and national teams coordinator Nikolay Ivanov, visited to rally the troops. They met with the players and coaching staff, reinforcing the stakes of the upcoming campaigns.

The Roster: Fresh Faces, Familiar Clubs

The squad is a mix of rising stars from Bulgaria’s top clubs. The setter rotation features Nikola Velikov (CSKA), Dimitar Kopanarov (Pirin Razlog), Petar Antonov (VASK), and Pyotr Marinov (Levski Sofia). The outside hitters bring firepower with Nikola Gradinarov (Beroe), Orlin Drumev (Dobrudzha), Georgi Kochiev (Beroe), Milko Bagdasarov (Arda), Martin Karabashov (Arda), and Kayo Pavlov (VASK). The diagonals include Kristian Ivanov (CSKA), Veselin Kokalov (Beroe), Pavel Djenov (Beroe), and Nikita Choban (Levski Sofia). At the net, the central blockers are Yassen Georgiev (CSKA), Adrian Ganev (Levski Sofia), Georgi Dimitrov (Levski Sofia), Kristian Kosev (Rakovski Sevlievo), Denislav Kirov (VASK), and Daniil Racho (Levski Sofia). In the libero position, Ivaylo Donov (Levski Sofia) and Aleksandar Dikov (Beroe) will anchor the defense. Every point matters. Every match counts. The future of Bulgarian volleyball is in these hands.