TEHRAN - The Iran men’s national volleyball team are currently training intensively in Gdansk, Poland, preparing for the highly competitive third week of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), which kicks off on Wednesday.

After a friendly match against the host nation Poland in Olsztyn, the Iranian squad have shifted focus to sharpen their skills and tactics ahead of four challenging matches in Gdansk. The tournament’s Week 3 features strong teams including Bulgaria, China, Cuba, France, Poland, and Iran.

Iran’s first match of this phase will be against Poland, the tournament hosts, on Wednesday at 9:30 PM local time. Following this, they will face France, China, and Bulgaria in a tightly packed schedule running through July 20.

Head coach Roberto Piazza acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming fixtures, stating, “Week 3 will be tough. We performed well in Weeks 1 and 2, improving our coordination and competitiveness, but the upcoming matches require even greater focus and resilience.”

The recent loss to Poland in friendly was a valuable learning experience for the team.

“Poland are one of the world’s elite teams. Even when the ball isn’t perfect, they adapt instantly and find solutions. We need to work harder, rethink our mindset, and be ready to face tough challenges,” Piazza said.

A critical strength for Iran in this stage lies in the defensive capabilities of their liberos, Arman Salehi and Mohammadreza Hazratpour. Both players are in excellent form and expected to play key roles in neutralizing powerful serves from top opponents like Poland and France.

Injury concerns are easing with key outside hitter Morteza Sharifi recovering well. After missing matches due to injury earlier in the tournament, Sharifi returned to action during the friendly against Poland, demonstrating promising performance. It is anticipated that he will be fully involved in the main lineup for the demanding week ahead.

Piazza emphasized the tight schedule, noting limited recovery time between matches: “We have little time to recover, which makes this week physically and mentally demanding. Success depends on our ability to stay cohesive and improve every day.”

Iran’s volleyball team are determined to turn lessons learned into positive results, aiming to advance to the next phase in China. The team’s resilience and preparation in Gdansk will be crucial as they take on some of the best teams in the world in this critical juncture of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League.