"Our team has a chance to achieve good results in the European League."
These words were said by Margarita Stepanenko, a member of the Azerbaijani women's volleyball team, which will compete in the 2026 European League.
She stated that the main goal is to perform well in every game and reveal the team's real potential: "We will try to show a good and high-level game. We respect all opponents because all national teams are strong. There are no weak opponents here. Therefore, I do not want to single out any particular team," she said in a statement to AZERTAC.
The volleyball player also noted that some teams have individually strong players in their squads: "However, based on last year's performances, I can say that the Swedish national team has quite qualified and experienced volleyball players. Meetings with this team will be a serious test for us."
M.Stepanenko emphasized that the result directly depends on the team's level of play: "Our goal is to maximize our strength. If we can fully show our capabilities on the court, we will achieve the desired result. We believe that we can do it."
It should be noted that the Azerbaijani national team is currently ranked 27th. In the group stage of the competition, our team will face the national teams of Sweden, Estonia, North Macedonia, Spain, Israel and Switzerland.