Bulgaria rallied from a set down to defeat Italy 3-2 (18-25, 25-20, 25-23, 19-25, 15-9) in a tightly contested Volleyball Nations League Pool 6 opener.
Italy made the stronger start, taking the opening set, but Bulgaria gradually took control through its serve pressure and offensive consistency to claim the second and third sets.
The Azzurri responded in the fourth set, with Giovanni Sanguinetti and Luca Porro helping force a decider. However, Bulgaria proved more effective in the tie-break, pulling away midway through the fifth set to secure victory.
Aleksandar Nikolov led Bulgaria with 19 points, while Atanasov added 14 and Asparuhov contributed 13. Italy was paced by Kamil Rychlicki with 18 points, followed by Sanguinetti with 13 and Mattia Bottolo with 10.
Statistically, Bulgaria held advantages in attack (53-44) and blocks (15-12), while Italy led in aces (12-8). Both teams finished with 102 total points, underlining the closeness of the contest.
The match also marked the return of Daniele Lavia to the Italian national team lineup.
Result
Volleyball Nations League 2026 – Pool 6
Bulgaria 3-2 Italy
(18-25, 25-20, 25-23, 19-25, 15-9)
Top Scorers
Bulgaria: Aleksandar Nikolov 19, Atanasov 14, Asparuhov 13
Italy: Rychlicki 18, Sanguinetti 13, Bottolo 10
Team Statistics
Attack: Bulgaria 53 – Italy 44
Blocks: Bulgaria 15 – Italy 12
Aces: Italy 12 – Bulgaria 8
Total Points: Bulgaria 102 – Italy 102