The reigning national champions face their first match and season's derby

The ACH Volley Ljubljana volleyball team will begin their campaign in this season’s Sportklub First Volleyball League tomorrow, October 5th. The season opener at Ljubljana’s Tivoli Hall will feature a rematch of last season’s national championship final. The Ljubljana players hold much fonder memories of the end of that final series, as they secured their milestone 20th national title.

This season, anything less than claiming a 21st national title would be a major disappointment for Ljubljana, who also aim to make a significant impact in European competitions. Coach Hafner and his team are aware of the pressure and responsibility ahead. “ACH Volley is always the favorite for the title. We haven’t had such a deep roster in years. We have 14 players, training has been normal and without issues, even though we only came together on September 8th when the youth national team members joined. We need to embrace the role of title favorites. We will have a target on our backs, and our opponents will be able to play against us without pressure.”

The team's new captain and one of the more experienced players, Jani Kovačič, also shared his thoughts ahead of the first derby against Calcit: “Our form is definitely not where it will be in about a month, but we must still accept the role of favorites for tomorrow’s match against Calcit. I have a broad selection of players in all positions, which allows us to have more quality training and preparation for the match. I expect a strong start to the new season tomorrow and hope we quickly find our competitive rhythm.”