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Bulgaria made an emphatic start to their home campaign at the CEV EuroVolley 2026, defeating North Macedonia 3-0 (25:17, 25:19, 25:18) in front of 8,892 spectators at Arena 8888 Sofia.
Gianlorenzo Blengini’s side controlled the match for most of the evening, with the serve and attack proving decisive. Bulgaria produced 10 aces compared with none for their opponents and scored twice as many points in attack, 42 to 21.
The hosts went with a strong starting line-up featuring Simeon Nikolov, Martin Atanasov, Iliya Petkov, Aleks Grozdanov, Denislav Bardarov and Aleksandar Nikolov, with Zhassmin Velichkov used as libero.
Velichkov’s deployment in the libero role was one of Blengini’s interesting choices, as the Italian coach had already experimented with the reception specialist in that position during the warm-up match against Czechia, and the decision paid off again in Sofia: Velichkov finished with 86% positive and 86% excellent reception from 14 serves received!
North Macedonia made the quicker start in the opening set, moving 2-0 and then 3-1 ahead, but Bulgaria soon turned the momentum around. Simeon Nikolov’s serve immediately became one of the main weapons, helping the home side establish control. After Bulgaria moved 9-6 ahead, the visitors remained within touching distance for a while, before the hosts pulled away in the second half of the set to take it 25-17.
The second set followed a similar pattern. Bulgaria led 5-3 before North Macedonia briefly turned the score around, and the two teams remained close after the eighth point. Once again, however, Bulgaria’s pressure from the service line and greater efficiency in attack created the separation, with the hosts taking the set 25-19.
There was little change in the third. North Macedonia stayed close during the early stages, but Bulgaria raised the level after the middle of the set. Simeon Nikolov continued to put pressure on the opposition reception, and the hosts completed the straight-set victory at 25-18.
The numbers underline Bulgaria’s control of the match. They finished with 42 attack points at 58% efficiency, compared with 21 points and 34% efficiency for North Macedonia. Bulgaria also dominated in reception, recording 77% positive and 60% excellent reception, against 38% and 30% respectively for their opponents.
The service battle was even more one-sided: Bulgaria registered 10 aces to North Macedonia’s zero. Simeon Nikolov alone accounted for seven of them, an exceptional contribution for a setter. He scored all seven of his points directly from serve, producing seven aces from 20 attempts, although he also committed five service errors.
Aleksandar Nikolov was Bulgaria’s leading scorer with 19 points, including 16 kills from 24 attacks, two aces and one block. He finished with 67% attacking efficiency and only two direct attacking errors, while also contributing 67% positive and 67% excellent reception from six balls.
Denislav Bardarov added 15 points, with 12 kills, one ace and two blocks. His attacking numbers were particularly impressive: 12 successful attacks from 15 attempts for an outstanding 80% efficiency without a single direct attacking error. He also handled 12 receptions, finishing with 67% positive reception.
Middle blocker Iliya Petkov also contributed with seven points, scoring five times from seven attacks and adding two blocks, while Aleks Grozdanov finished with four points, including three kills and one block. Martin Atanasov added six points.
For North Macedonia, captain and opposite Nikola Gjorgiev was the team’s top scorer with only eight points. He struggled to find the same efficiency as his Bulgarian counterparts, converting eight of 19 attacks for 42%.
The three sets also revealed a remarkably consistent service performance from Bulgaria: the hosts produced four aces in the opening set, three in the second and three in the third, while North Macedonia did not register a single ace throughout the match.
Bulgaria will now have a rest day on September 10 before returning to action on September 11 at 19:00, when they face Portugal in their second Pool B match in Sofia.
For Blengini’s team, the opening assignment could hardly have been more straightforward: a 3-0 victory, three points and a strong statistical statement in front of a packed home crowd.
The EuroVolley journey, however, has only just begun!
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🏐| CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 | Wednesday, September 9, 2026
👉🏼POOL B 📍Arena 8888 Sofia
19.00 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – North Macedonia 3-0 (25:17, 25:19, 25:18)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
🏐| POOL B STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Bulgaria 3
2. Poland 0
3. Portugal 0
4. Ukraine 0
5. Israel 0
6. North Macedonia 0
POOL D📍BT Arena Cluj Napoca
20.00 (Local Time) | Romania – Latvia
🏐| POOL D STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. France
2. Germany
3. Romania
4. Türkiye
5. Latvia
6. Switzerland
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NEXT GAMES:
Thursday, September 10, 2026
POOL A📍Arena Piazza del Plebiscito Naples
21.05 (Local Time) | Italy – Sweden
POOL B📍Arena 8888 Sofia
16.00 (Local Time) | Poland – Portugal
19.00 (Local Time) | Israel – Ukraine
POOL C📍Nokia Arena Tampere
20.00 (Local Time) | Finland – Denmark
POOL D📍 BT Arena Cluj-Napoca
17.00 (Local Time) | France – Switzerland
20.00 (Local Time) | Türkiye – Germany
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