Ljubljana, Slovenia. Preparations for a challenging season started on Monday with a coronavirus test for all players and the staff of the Slovenian women’s national team. Eleven players from Alessandro Chiappini’s list gathered at the traditional training camp in Kranjska Gora.
Team Slovenia have reconvened for the first time since the summer of 2019
“We are starting this action with with new goals, but with some new players too. We do not have much time to work, so we will mostly focus on tactics and communication. We have to prepare as good as we can for the qualifiers. We will play in a tough group against Czech Republic and Bosnia & Herzegovina – which are both good teams. We do not know much about Latvia. We will play some friendly matches against Austria and Hungary and we will try to enter the competition from a good starting point.”
Alessandro Chiappini
Head coach of Slovenia
Slovenia played their last international match in conjunction with the EuroVolley 2019 eighth-finals in Lodz, losing to Germany. Since that fixture, the team coached by Italian expert Alessandro Chiappini has undergone some changes, as one of Slovenia’s top players, Iza Mlakar, has ended her career, just as Maja Pahor. Ana Marija Vovk and Ela Pintar are still recovering from injury, the same as Mojca Pene – who nevertheless joined the team at the training camp in Kranjska Gora.
Slovenia’s goals are to qualify for the CEV EuroVolley for the third time in history and to progress to the CEV European Golden League. Chiappini is aware that achieving them will be quite a challenge, but he is confident that despite all changes to the team, his players are ready for both challenges.
“We all missed national team gatherings and we came very motivated to Kranjska Gora. The team has changed, but we will work hard and I am confident that we will achieve our goals.”
Tina Grudina
Middle blocker of Team Slovenia
“It is quite clear that we are all really looking forward to the EuroVolley qualifiers, although the competition in Group F will not be easy. We are very motivated, and I just hope we will show this at every practice and every match. We know what our goals are and I believe in our team,” Saša Planinšec – who has successfully recovered from shoulder surgery – commented.
Slovenia will be playing their qualification tournaments in Daugavpils and Zenica, facing Latvia, Czech Republic, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by the CEV European Silver League tournaments in Luxembourg and Maribor.
Team Slovenia will be working in Kranjska Gora to prepare for a busy 2021 season
Team Slovenia
Setters: Eva Mori (Vandoeuvre Nancy Volley-Ball, FRA), Sara Najdic (Fatum Nyíregyháza, HUN), Eva Pogacar (Calcit Volley, SLO)
Opposite hitters: Darja Eržen (Potsdam, GER), Nika Markovic (SIP Šempeter, SLO)
Outside hitters: Monika Potokar (PAOK, GRE), Naja Boisa (Calcit Volley, SLO), Eva Zatkovic (Calcit Volley, SLO), Žana Zdovc Sporer (DPD Legionovia, POL)
Middle blockers: Saša Planinšec (without club), Tina Grudina (Swietelsky BRSE, HUN), Mirta Velikonja Grbac (Nova KBM Branik, SLO), Brina Bracko (Nova KBM Branik, SLO), Sara ?ukic (Gen-I Volley, SLO)
Liberos: Leja Janežic (Calcit Volley, SLO), Anja Mazej (SIP Šempeter, SLO), Lorena Lorber Fijok (Nova KBM Branik, SLO).
News:
CEV – European Volleyball
OZS – Volleyball Federation of Slovenia
