Bulgaria vs Italy

Italy drew first blood with a dominant first set. The Azzurri took control early and never relented, cruising to a 25-18 win that suggested the world champions might roll over their silver-medalist opponents. But Bulgaria responded emphatically in the second set.

Gianlorenzo Blengini's side sharpened their service game and tightened their block defence, flipping the momentum with a 25-20 victory to level the match at 1-1.

The third set proved the tightest of the contest. Both teams traded points deep into the twenties before Bulgaria edged ahead 25-23 to take a 2-1 lead — their first advantage of the afternoon.

Italy refused to fold. The reigning world champions reasserted themselves in the fourth set, with their attacking firepower proving too much for Bulgaria's defence. A 25-19 win sent the match to a deciding fifth set.

The fifth set was where Bulgaria made their stand. With the score at 15-9, Bulgaria controlled the shortened set from start to finish, racing to an early lead and never allowing Italy back into it. The 15-9 scoreline in the decider reflected Bulgaria's superior composure under pressure — a stark contrast to the first set where Italy had dominated by the same seven-point margin.

Key substitutions and a reshuffled blocking scheme at the start of the fifth set disrupted Italy's rhythm, while Bulgaria's serving intensity forced the Azzurri into reception errors at critical moments.

Aleksandar Nikolov — the outside hitter and 2025 World Championship Dream Team member was instrumental in Bulgaria's comeback, delivering decisive points in the third and fifth sets. His attacking variety from the left pin kept the Italian block guessing.

Simeon Nikolov — the young setter orchestrated Bulgaria's offence with composure beyond his years, distributing effectively to multiple hitters and keeping the Italian defence off-balance, particularly in the decisive fifth set.

Italy's attacking core — despite the loss, Italy's hitters showed why they are world champions, particularly in the first and fourth sets where their power game overwhelmed Bulgaria's block. The Azzurri's ability to push the match to a fifth set underlined their quality.

Player of the Match: Aleksandar Nikolov (Bulgaria)

Bulgaria's ability to win the tight moments defined the match. After losing the first set 25-18 — a seven-point margin — they responded by winning two close sets (25-20, 25-23) before dropping the fourth. The 15-9 fifth-set scoreline was the most lopsided decider possible in a winner-takes-all frame, and it mirrored the exact margin Italy had enjoyed in the opening set.

Bulgaria's resilience in the third set — winning 25-23 after trailing at various points — proved crucial. Had Italy taken that set, the match would likely have ended 3-1 to the world champions. Instead, Bulgaria held their nerve when it mattered most.

The win lifts Bulgaria to a 3-2 record in the VNL 2026 table (8 points), keeping them firmly in contention for a first-ever Final Phase berth. Italy drop to 3-2 (9 points) but remain comfortably in the top eight.

Both teams continue their Week 2 campaigns in Ljubljana. Bulgaria face hosts Slovenia on 25 June, followed by Canada on 27 June and Ukraine on 28 June. Italy take on Ukraine (25 June), Brazil (27 June) and Slovenia (28 June) in their remaining pool matches.

This was a statement win for Bulgaria. After losing to Italy in the World Championship final less than a year ago, they proved they can beat the world champions when it counts. The five-set victory in Ljubljana will do wonders for their belief heading into the rest of Week 2 and beyond.