The Cuban men’s volleyball team will debut today against Slovenia in group two of the first week of the Nations League (VNL), based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
After three friendly and preparation games -one behind closed doors- Argentina against the host team that will participate in the VNL, the Cubans, led by technical director (DT) Jesus Cruz will face this Wednesday against a team that will start as favourites, but with the purpose of breaking predictions and continue on the way to be included among the top eight of the demanding tournament and overcome the ninth place achieved in 2024.
According to the International Federation’s website www.fivb.com, after the game against the Slovaks, Cruz’s disciples will face home team Brazil on the 12th, Ukraine (13th) and the United States (14th).
The win-loss record against the South Americans was negative, with two defeats (0-3 and 2-3), but Cruz, like Argentinean coach Marcelo Méndez, had the chance to test all his players.
Mendez’s charges will make their debut in Quebec against France, Italy, Bulgaria and hosts Canada.
The 14 Cubans chosen for the VNL’s Rio de Janeiro event are the same as in Argentina, with assistants López, Yant and Osmel Mergarejo, and opposites Massó, Yondar Bisset and Alejandro González.
Completing the list are centre backs Roamy Alonso, Javier Concepción and David Fiel, passers Christian Tondike and Julio Alberto Gómez, and liberos Yonder García and Brayan Camino.
The Cuban DT is assisted by coaches Mario Izquierdo and Manuel Espinosa, all supported by physiotherapist Eladio Vives, statistician Rusbel Campos, with national commission methodologist Frank Almendariz as head of the delegation.
The Cuban national team is made up of 25 players in total, only Roberlandy Simón is missing, who will join in the third week, with the possibility of fighting for the qualification for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028, a goal they could not achieve for Paris 2024, said Cruz after concluding a preparation stop at the Ciudad Deportiva in the capital of the largest of the Antilles and before travelling to Argentina.
