CEV EuroLeague - 2016 | 6 | 3

Quote from Bartek

If Bulgaria don't change Roster, Estonia shall celebrate Gold Medals overall.

Bulgaria will play with the same roster, that's the point of the European League participation. Estonia looks like the top favourite indeed but so we thought last year as well when they lost 0-3 to Macedonia in the semifinal in Poland. Their first place should not be taken for granted.

Quote from YavorD

Bulgaria will play with the same roster, that's the point of the European League participation. Estonia looks like the top favourite indeed but so we thought last year as well when they lost 0-3 to Macedonia in the semifinal in Poland. Their first place should not be taken for granted.

One change in the Bulgarian roster has been made after all. Svetoslav Gotsev left the WL squad to join the B team in Varna, whereas his place for the trip to Dallas will be taken by Krasimir Georgiev.

I watched the second part of the Estonia vs. Bulgaria B match. A match full of technical mistakes. Estonia's shape is not the same as during last year's European League or European Championship. On the other side, the Bulgarian youngsters were more motivated in comparison to the group stage games. However, they looked too green at times and missed their chances to close the match (and win somewhat deservedly, in my opinion). Bulgaria even looked more dangerous in that second part of the match. Estonia did not impress much and tonight FYR of Macedonia looks as the favourite tomorrow. We'll see if Estonia will take revenge for the semifinal defeat in Poland last year.

Quote from Bartek

Bulgaria after 0-3 v Austria without Medal at home..

We could say the youngsters are filling the seniors' shoes quite well, aren't they?

I believe the participation of the B team would be beneficial to half of the lads that played at the European league. They desperately needed matches on international stage and they had improved gradually before the final tournament. They also showed that they could outplay middle-level European teams which, although it may not sound great at first, is a step in the right direction. Surprisingly, the ones who could not deliver had most international experience. This is why those people probably won't ever reach the A team. Zlatan Yordanov and Zhani Zhelyazkov (he had some nice actions and converted tough balls but still) are two such players. The finals in Varna pretty much echoed the scenario from last year's ECH. A dramatic semifinal that Bulgaria somehow managed to lose and then no motivation to step up and grab the bronze. I said it before, this was a weaker Estonian side than the one from 2015 but now they managed to do better in the final and won the league.

The semifinal defeat against Estonia should be watched by the whole team over and over again until they realize why they lost it.

As I understood Bulgaria took participation in EL because they are playing on U23 WCH qualies later this month in Zagreb against Croatia, Poland, Italy, Slovenia and Turkey