Slovenian volleyball coach Soli: Historic medal secured, but focus shifts to European Championship

Slovenia's men's volleyball team has secured its first-ever medal in the Nations League, a historic achievement celebrated by coach Fabio Soli. He described the success as "something historic for the Slovenian jersey," emphasizing that it is now etched in history and should be a source of pride.

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What we have done was not so bad. As I told the players, we have achieved something historic for the Slovenian jersey. We have this in our pocket now and no one can take it away from us. The names are written in history. We must be proud of that. What we have done, we must carry into our present and preserve in the future.

Soli, in his second season as coach, has overseen the team's transition, blending experienced players with the energy of younger ones. He noted that the team seized opportunities in the Nations League that they missed in previous tournaments, highlighting the team's talent and ability to perform under pressure. "We have to stay grounded and look ahead on our path," Soli stated, underscoring the need for continued focus.

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A long journey that began last season with the renewal of the team, the effort to stay together, and the combination of the experience of older players with the energy of new ones. What we have achieved is something incredible. In this year's Nations League, we seized the opportunity that we missed in the (last year's) World Championship. When we had the chance for a good result in all tournaments, including the final one, we took advantage of it. This is the talent of this team. Now we have to stay grounded and look ahead on our path.

Despite the recent success, Soli cautioned that the work is far from over. He believes the team can still improve, emphasizing a step-by-step approach to reach a higher level of play. The upcoming European Championship is considered even more important than the Nations League, with a good result there offering a direct ticket to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

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We can all improve together. We have to go step by step, learn on the court to reach the level of real volleyball. The experience of the older players helps the entire team pave the path we need to walk. The European Championship is ahead of us, which is perhaps even more important than the Nations League. We are aware of the value a good result in this European Championship brings.

However, the coach expressed concerns about player recovery from injuries. Key players like Tonček and Žiga Štern, along with Jani Kovačič, are returning from injuries, and Alen Pajenk is not in peak condition. Soli highlighted the challenge of developing the team that reached the Nations League final while also managing the recovery of these athletes in the limited time available.

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We have some concerns. We need to take care of the players who are recovering and were not part of the league's final tournament. This is an important part of our work in the coming weeks. We don't have much time to try to develop the team that played the league final and at the same time bring back...