Men’s volleyball teams gathered in Kazan for the second round of the preliminary stage of the 2026 Men’s Legend Cup, a tournament dedicated to the memory of Soviet volleyball player and functionary Vladimir Ivanovich Savvin. Zenit-Kazan, Lokomotiv Novosibirsk, Dynamo-LO from Sosnovy Bor, and Nova from Novokuybyshevsk are competing for two spots in the tournament’s final stage.
Plamen Konstantinov Dismisses Early Season Standings After Fast Start
Following an opening phase in Novosibirsk where Lokomotiv did not lose a single set, head coach Plamen Konstantinov urged caution regarding the team’s early 12-0 set run. Speaking to BO Sport, Konstantinov addressed the 12:0 record in the Legend Cup matches by stating that it is “too early to make general conclusions.” The Lokomotiv coach noted that while his squad looks decent for the start of the season, they must quickly pivot and prepare for their next opponent.
Konstantinov pointed to the fundamentals as the primary driver behind their early success. In their matchup against Dynamo-LO, Lokomotiv relied heavily on superior reception and serving, which allowed their block and defense to dictate the tempo. Dynamo-LO head coach Anton Astashenkov took full responsibility for his team’s performance, stating that his squad simply stood still for two sets and failed to execute across all elements.
Mikhail Khlyakin Credits Konstantin Abaev for 81 Percent Attack Rate
In Zenit-Kazan’s intense clash against Lokomotiv, Mikhail Khlyakin delivered a standout performance, finishing with an 81 percent success rate in attack. Discussing his efficiency against the Siberian side with BO Sport, Khlyakin remarked that it was “the merit of Abaev that there was a leaky block.” The match featured massive momentum swings, including a dramatic second set where Zenit overcame a 20-24 deficit to win the set, capped by Khlyakin’s steady execution.
Zenit head coach Alexey Verbov admitted that his team struggled early on, noting that the opponent “killed us with serves in the first two sets,” according to Vechernyaya Kazan. Lokomotiv capitalized on aggressive serving from Dmitry Lyzyk and Egor Krechetov to build early leads. However, Zenit fought back through strong blocking and crucial tactical substitutions by Verbov, ultimately securing a hard-fought victory despite Lokomotiv missing injured outside hitter Omar Kurbanov and setter Luciano De Cecco.
Lokomotiv Leads Group B Ahead of Kazan Matches
Entering the Kazan stage, Lokomotiv held the top spot in Group B with nine points from the opening round in Novosibirsk, while tournament hosts Zenit-Kazan sat second with six points, according to Tatarstan 24. The matches in Kazan continue to determine the final seeding ahead of the tournament’s next phase, with teams refining their rotations as the domestic volleyball calendar gathers momentum.
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