Jakub Balcerzak

Jakub Balcerzak summarized the last Saturday before the start of the 2026/2027 league season. He assessed that the slogan "Beat the champion" will motivate the rivals of Michał Winiarski's team, and each of them will approach the matches with full commitment. He cited the match between Trefl and Sordyl as an example and wondered how many weaker teams would manage to play in a similar way. According to Balcerzak, Lublin was in better shape at this stage of preparations than a year earlier. He praised the creativity of Ran and Ogawa as well as the play of the latter, and positively evaluated the start of preparations for Mikołaj Sawicki, whom he considered well physically prepared. The author was pleased with Roberto Piazza's presence in the Polish club, but noted that there is a lot of work ahead for PGE Project Warszawa, as the Italian coach had only started working with the team a few days earlier. He assessed that Romano could help Warsaw achieve a major trophy this season. After the match against Lublana, he pointed out that the average age of Project's players on the court was almost 33 years. He also wrote that Śliwka's injury means at least a month off, and noted that the captain of the Polish national team has played only 31 percent of league matches in almost three years. Balcerzak called Tymoteusz Lenik one of the best Polish middle blockers from the 2005 age group and younger. He believed that Gheorghe Crețu is guiding the player well and predicted that Lenik would make it to the senior national team next season. He pointed to 22-year-old Mateusz Nowak as a possible successor to Bartłomiej Lemański in Bełchatów and as the best player of Skra during the preparation period. He described Szymon Jakubiszak as one of the leading Polish middle blockers and wrote that he should join a club competing for the Polish championship. Regarding the Italian league, Balcerzak praised Basil Dermaux's performance in Milan, where he scored 27 points, including seven aces. He indicated Hryhoriia Khotsevycha as a potential discovery of the new season of LegaVolley, and described Pardo Matia as an increasingly important player in Modena's offense. He added that his collaboration with Tizi-Oualou was going very well. Assessing the teams from Japan, Balcerzak stated that there is a lot of work ahead for Suntory Sunbirds Osaka and that the team no longer commands the same respect as in previous years. He positively evaluated the new Nagoya and the performance of Norbert Huber, while considering Osaka Bluteon the best team currently in the country, with a significant advantage over rivals. The photograph was signed with the name K. Łukawski. #podsiatka #siatkówka #sezonligowy #Polska (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak stated that Mikołaj Sawicki scored 17 points in the match against Fenerbahçe Istanbul, which ended with a score of 3:0. According to Balcerzak, Sawicki also recorded +10, a 44-percent positive reception, 62-percent attack efficiency (13/21), 48-percent effectiveness in attack, and four service aces. The photo was credited to Łukawski. #podsiatka https://t.co/igIWfDBn0j #siatkówka #sport #MikołajSawicki (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak wrote that Energa Trefl Gdańsk won without losing a set against Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie in the final of the LOTTO Volleyball Giants tournament 2026. He also expressed surprise at the result. #TAURONLiga https://t.co/1ZAmsxnOhy #siatkówka #EnergaTreflGdańsk #LOTTOGiganciSiatkówki (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak informed that Bartłomiej Lemański published words on social media. He described them as very important and pointed out that the screenshot came from Lemański's profile on Instagram. He added the hashtag #gangłysego to the post. #gangłysego https://t.co/HE0LQJudvP #BartłomiejLemański #Europa #mistrz (translated)

Ran Takahashi said in an interview for Polsat Sport that he felt good in Lublin and described the city's residents as friendly. He admitted that he was looking forward to getting to know Polish volleyball up close and announced that he would give his all to ensure his team wins every tournament. Takahashi assessed that the daily training sessions with Wilfredo Leon and Marcin Komenda were a challenge for him and helped him develop. He added that working with Leon, whom he called the best player in the world, could bring him benefits. #TAURONLiga #Siatkówka #Polska #Lublin (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak wrote that Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie, led by Michał Winiarski, defeated Turkish SporToto at home 3:1. He noted that Jakub Kochanowski and Tomasz Fornal made unofficial debuts in the team. He added that he was pleased to see healthy Mateusz Bieniek, the captain of the current Polish champions. #TAURONLiga #Siatkówka #AluronCMCWartaZawiercie #TAURONLiga (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak wrote that in the 2026/2027 season, Volleyball World TV had the rights to broadcast the three most important men's league competitions, as he described them: the Japanese SV League, the Italian LegaVolley, and the Polish TAURON Liga. He stated that the monthly subscription cost 15 euros, and matches of the TAURON Liga remained unavailable for users from Poland. He added that broadcasts of the Turkish top league, Efeler Liga, were to be available again exclusively on the TRT Spor YouTube channel. #podsiatka #siatkówka #Volleyball #transmisja (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak cited an interview in which Yuri Romano, a spiker for PGE Projekt Warszawa, spoke to the Tauronliga portal. Romano said he was happy to be playing in a strong Polish league and appreciated the interest of fans in volleyball. He added that performing in Poland had been his dream, and he had a positive view of Warsaw and his family's living situation. Romano described Poland as a country that is still developing. He pointed to new roads and clean, well-maintained cities, and also mentioned that he wanted to visit as many places in the country as possible. Coach Roberto Piazza was, according to Romano, a great coach, and the team was satisfied with his work. The spiker added that he had previously worked with him in Milan, and they talked in the summer about starting a job in Warsaw. #TAURONLiga #siatkówka #Polska #Warszawa (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak wrote that Laurent Tillie, the French coach of the Japanese national team, was very satisfied with the 2026 national team season. According to Balcerzak, Tillie described it as one of the most demanding in history: it lasted nearly six months, and Japan competed in different lineups on three fronts. Balcerzak reported that Japan finished fourth in the 2026 Nations League, won the Asian Championship, and claimed silver at the Asian Games. Tillie appreciated the entire team's performance, and qualifying for the Olympics was supposed to allow the team to prepare more freely for the tournament in Los Angeles. As Balcerzak wrote, Japan aimed for the best possible result at the 2027 World Championship in Poland and dreamed of a medal. He noted that the team's best result at the World Championships in this century was eighth place, achieved 20 years earlier on home soil. #MWCH2027 #siatkówka #Japonia #sport (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak wrote that for the first time in the preparatory period before the 2026/2027 league season, the offensive trio of Ziraat Bankası consisted of Nimir Abdel-Aziz, Yuki Ishikawa, and Trevor Clevenot. According to Balcerzak, Clevenot said the day before that he hoped that cooperation with Ishikawa would bring them the desired triumph in the volleyball Champions League. The author indicated that this is the main goal of Ziraat for the 2026/2027 season. #podsiatka https://t.co/YH9xVQHp48 #siatkówka #ZiraatBankasi #LigaMistrzów (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak wrote that FIVB, after discussions with federations, decided to include the Russian national team among the participants of the women's World Championship in 2027. He indicated VRF as the source of the photo. #WWCH2027 https://t.co/DzNF8sDnG7 #MistrzostwaŚwiata #Siatkówka #Rosja (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak drew attention to the performance of 17-year-old Adam Potempa in the TAURON League second-tier match against PZL LEONARDO Avia Świdnik, which was lost after a tie-break. According to his post, the attacker scored 28 points, had +19, 59% efficiency in attack (24/41), 37% effectiveness, four score blocks, and eight defenses. Balcerzak assessed that Potempa, whom he considered one of the greatest talents of the young generation in this position, started the league season well. #gangłysego #siatkówka #sport #talent (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak wrote that the draw for the group stage of the men's volleyball world championship Poland 2027 will take place on December 3. The tournament is set to be held from September 10 to 26, 2027, and during it, 64 official matches are planned. According to Balcerzak, Gdańsk will host the opening match, and all group matches of the team led by Nikola Grbić will take place at Ergo Arena. Kraków is set to host the medal stage. The tournament matches will be held in five cities: Gdańsk, Kraków, Olsztyn, Łódź, and Katowice. Balcerzak also stated that the three highest-ranked teams that do not qualify in 2026 will secure qualification for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Ticket packages and the sales system will be announced after the draw, and the FIVB plans to introduce solutions encouraging fans from all over the world to come to Poland. #gangłysego #MistrzostwaŚwiata #siatkówka #Polska2027 (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak reported that Ran Takahashi scored 13 points in the match against CHKS Chełm, which ended with a score of 3-2. The Japanese player played three sets, achieving a +8 balance, 50% positive reception, 54% attack efficiency (13/24), and 46% attack effectiveness. Balcerzak conveyed that Tomohiro Ogawa participated in the entire match. He recorded 55% positive and 25% perfect reception on 20 attempts, along with two errors. #TAURONLiga #siatkówka #TAURONLiga #sport (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak wrote that Roberto Piazza recognized Tatsunori Otsuka as the best player of the match after the Asian Games final. He added that Piazza was proud to have worked with him on a daily basis over the past months and to have observed his development in one of the best leagues in the world, where — as he assessed — he had become a valuable player. #podsiatka #siatkówka #sport #IgrzyskaAzjatyckie (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak published a summary of the successes of Polish men's volleyball in the 21st century. He mentioned the European Championships from 2009, 2023, and 2026, the World League from 2012, the World Championships from 2014 and 2018, and the Nations League from 2023, 2025, and 2026. He noted that the graphic was prepared by Volleyball World. #gangłysego #siatkówka #Polska #sport (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak reported that Tatsunori Otsuka scored 24 points in the match against the Iranian national team, which was lost 1:3. According to the author, he also recorded a +20 rating, 66% positive reception, 50% perfect reception, 65% attack efficiency (22/34), 59% attack effectiveness, two service aces, and 11 defenses. Balcerzak noted that Otsuka was the top scorer in the final of the 2026 Asian Games tournament. #podsiatka #siatkówka #sport #IgrzyskaAzjatyckie (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak assessed that the collaboration between Vital Heynen and the Chinese national team may come to an end after an unsuccessful season and that he cannot imagine both sides wanting to continue it. He pointed out that China finished last in the VNL 2026 regular season, achieved only one victory throughout the season, and was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Asian Championships — which he described as one of the worst results in Chinese volleyball history at this event. Balcerzak also recalled that the team did not win a medal at the Asian Games, losing the bronze medal match to Pakistan. He added that China has lost many points in the FIVB ranking and did not qualify for the 2027 World Championships, which — he noted — will be the first World Championships without China since 1990. #podsiatka #siatkówka #VNL #MistrzostwaAzji (translated)

Jakub Balcerzak reported that Ran Takahashi, during a press conference quoted by "Kurier Lubelski", said he feels good and safe in Poland, and considers the city beautiful. He added that he gets along well with Tomohiro on the field and communicates easily with him in Japanese. Takahashi said he wants to learn Polish, but first intends to improve his English. For now, he knows two phrases in Polish: "thank you" and "good morning." He mentioned his goals of winning the Polish championship and triumphing in the Champions League, adding that he wanted to help the club and couldn't wait to play. He also assessed that the level in Poland differed from that in Japan, and the move represented another step and an opportunity to gain experience. He also mentioned that two years earlier, playing for an Italian club, he came to Warsaw for a Challenge Cup match. He reported that the Polish fans cheered the entire time, which left a great impression on him. #TAURONLiga #Polska #Takahashi #piłka_nożna (translated)