AVC Men’s Volleyball Champions League:
Foolad to chase third continental glory despite wartime challenges
Despite Iranian sport grappling with wartime circumstances in the country, Foolad Sirjan will chase a third title in six editions at the upcoming AVC Men’s Volleyball Champions League when it begins its campaign against Jakarta Garuda Jaya in Pontianak, Indonesia, next Thursday.
According to the tournament regulations, the pool phase will be played in a do-or-die knockout format. A victory over the host nation’s favorite will see the Iranian champion take on the winner of the game between the other Indonesian outfit in the tournament, Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi, or the Japanese S.V. League representative – which is yet to be confirmed – in the semifinals two days later.
Coached by former national team head coach Behrouz Ataei, Foolad Sirjan is set to leave Istanbul, where the club held its training camp in recent weeks, for Indonesia later today.
Ali Ramezani, Ashkan Haqdoost, Mohammad Valizadeh, Amirhossein Tokhteh, Ali Shafiei, Mahdi Marandi, Rasoul Shahsavari, Pouria Hosseinkhanzadeh, Amirhossein Khajeh-Khalili, Esmaeil Mosafer, Amirhossein Saadati, and Ali Hajipour are the members of the Iranian club at the Asian showpiece.
Bulgarian world-class outside hitter Aleksandar Nikolov has joined Foolad on a short-term loan contract for the tournament and is set to join up with his new teammates in Indonesia after completing his commitments with Italian Volley Lube in the European club season.
A semifinalist last year in Japan, Foolad Sirjan enters the Asian competition as one of the favorites, carrying the weight of Iran’s strong volleyball reputation. With a mix of experienced national team players and the firepower of Nikolov to come, Ataei will be confident his squad can navigate the pool stage and challenge for continental glory.
The winner of the tournament will earn a spot at the FIVB Club World Championship later this year.
Foolad made it to the last four at the global showpiece in 2024, before ultimately settling for bronze thanks to a victory over Volley Lube in the third-place playoff in Uberlândia, Brazil.