The Kosovo men’s national volleyball team has begun intensive preparations in Ferizaj ahead of important matches in the European League. With an optimistic atmosphere and high motivation, the team is working to build a competitive squad for the future, despite being one of the youngest teams in the competition.
Speaking to KosovaPress, coach Darko Prebiracevic praised the conditions provided by the Volleyball Federation, describing them as ideal for proper preparation. He explained that this year the European League has a new format and will also serve as a qualification pathway for EuroVolley.
Kosovo will participate in three tournaments, starting in Latvia where they will face the hosts and Romania, then continuing in Estonia before concluding the cycle with a third tournament to be held in Kosovo.
Prebiracevic stressed that Kosovo will enter every match with a strong desire to win.
“Of course, we will not enter any match without an objective and without the desire to win. At this moment, I cannot say what we will be capable of, but I am certain that we will give 100% and try to play as well as possible. We know Latvia from last season. We played against them and had a very good match. It was a fairly balanced game. We can say we know them and we will be more prepared against them than against Romania. Romania has a good team, with several young players competing across Europe with very strong clubs, so we will see,” Prebiracevic said.
The same optimism is shared by the players, who say the atmosphere in the camp is extremely positive and motivation is at its highest level.
Ermal Maliqi highlighted that Latvia and Romania are very strong opponents, but Kosovo will play against them aiming for positive results.
“I think we are very optimistic regarding the results because this is the second time we will face Latvia, while Romania is an opponent we have never faced before. But we are very optimistic about delivering strong performances… Kosovo has many talents and many young players. Teams need to invest more in young players, and it is very good that Kosovo’s national team at senior level is being organized in a way that gives young players opportunities to perform and become motivated for the future of volleyball,” Maliqi stated.
Another player, Adriatik Berisha, said the group is highly motivated, especially after the positive results achieved last year.
Kosovo enters this competition with a clear vision, balancing the need for immediate results with the long-term goal of building a sustainable team. The upcoming matches will be an important test for this new generation, which aims to make its mark on the European volleyball scene.