Bulgaria back in a World Championship final after 55 years! Czech Republic defeated in four sets
4 min read
Bulgaria emerged as the first finalist of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in the Philippines to secure a well-deserved podium finish.
The last time they were on the podium was in 2006, (when setter Simeon Nikolov was just 8 days old!) but the last and the only time they were in the final was back in 1970, when they earned silver on their home soil.
In Saturday’s semifinal in Pasay City, unbeaten Bulgaria down Czech Republic, who competed in their first semifinal
since 1970, with the score of 1-3 (20:25, 25:23, 21:25, 22:25) and they will take on the winner of the second semifinal between Poland and Italy, won by the last one in just three sets.
Bulgaria struggled a few times in first set one, and their several serving errors and a fantastic 19-year-old middle blocker Antonin Klimes kept the rivals in the set. However, they claimed a five-point margin led by middle blocker and captain Aleks Grozdanov and 21-year-old outside hitter Aleksandar Nikolov. The last one, competition’s top scorer also prior this game with as many as 119 points (and 150 now), was unstoppable also in second set, but this time, with his counterpart Lukas Vasina continuing his excellent performance, also closing the set with a powerful block-out shot, well supported by opposite Patrik Indra, Czech Republic took advantage of Bulgaria’s unforced errors to level the score.
Bulgaria continued to take a lot of risk from the serving line, but Aleks Nikolov continued to put down a collection of great attacks, also closing third set with a kill block.
The lead changed hands several times in decisive fourth set, but after 16-16, the winners got a mini break and they never looked back. The winning point came as a serving error by Czech Republic.
Bulgaria did better in attack, with 56 to 49 points, but also in blocking, with 12 points from this element to 7 and serving, with 8 aces to 4.
Aleks Nikolov made his best scoring performance so far in the tournament, scoring an impressive 31 points including three aces, 1 block and 57% in attack, while Aleks Grozdanov also impressed with 12 points through 88% success rate in attack, four blocks and an ace. Double digit also for opposite Asparuh Asparuhov who added 10, one more than 18-year-old setter Simeon Nikolov, who produced two aces, two blocks and five successful swings!
“Incredible! I am lost for words…We are medalists of this World Championship and I can’t believe it! Tomorrow we are just going to try to color the medal in gold. But we have a medal, so we are happy,” Aleks Nikolov said after the game.
“It definitely felt like a really good game. I owed it to the guys after the bad start against the US. They pulled me out in that game and we managed to win a great quarterfinal. I had to repay them by playing this game like I did, so I am happy that I could.”
For Czech Republic, who boast a solid fight throughout the match also taking advantage with the 28 unforced errors their rivals made, Lukas Vasina was top scorer with 17 points through 54% in attack including two blocks and an ace, while Jan Galabov added 13 and Patrick Indra 10.
“We have given everything that we got. We fought and we fought, but Bulgaria was better. Tactically, they were much better than us and that’s all. Congratulations to them! Well deserved! Tomorrow is another day, another fight, another war… and we want a medal,” said middle blocker and captain Adam Zajicek.
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🌏| 2025 FIVB World Championship | SEMIFINALS
Saturday September 27, 2025 📍 Pasay City
👉🏼 14.30 (Local Time) | Czech Republic – Bulgaria 1-3 (20:25, 25:23, 21:25, 22:25)
• 18.30 (Local Time) | Poland – Italy 0-3 (21:25, 22:25, 23:25)
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🏐| NEXT GAMES – FINALS
Sunday September 28, 2025 📍 Pasay City
• 15.30 (Local Time) | Czech Republic – Poland 🥉1-3 (18:25, 25:23, 22:25, 21:25)
• 18.30 (Local Time) | Bulgaria 🥈 – Italy 🥇 1-3 (21:25, 17:25, 25:17, 10:25)
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