After a wave of excitement among fans, Bulgarian volleyball legend Matey Kaziyski has decided not to play a full season in his home league after all.
The 41-year-old star was announced as the big signing of Lokomotiv Avia Plovdiv, marking what was supposed to be his first return to Bulgarian volleyball in two decades. But as it turns out, Kaziyski will appear in only two matches — the Bulgarian Super Cup semifinal and final — before moving to Halkbank Ankara in Türkiye.
The short stint in Plovdiv will be more of a symbolic return. Kaziyski is expected to play against Neftochimik Burgas in Saturday’s semifinal, possibly the final on Sunday, and then head to Ankara on Monday to officially sign with Halkbank.
In Türkiye, he’ll reunite with coach Radostin Stoychev and fellow Bulgarian Tsvetan Sokolov, with whom he shared tremendous success in previous years at Itas Trentino and Halkbank.
Lokomotiv’s manager Lyudmil Naydenov confirmed that Kaziyski’s contract included a clause allowing him to accept a more attractive offer. Kaziyski’s deal in Ankara might be short-term, lasting just a few months, with the possibility of returning to Lokomotiv later in the season.
For now, though, Bulgarian fans will see their volleyball hero only briefly — two matches, a farewell wave, and another international adventure for one of the sport’s all-time greats.
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