With volleyball in his blood, Zlatanov the Third breaks SuperLega record

“Blood does not change to water,” says a Bulgarian proverb meant to illustrate cases like that of Manuel Zlatanov, who broke the record for the youngest ever player to make his debut in the Italian SuperLega Credem Banca last weekend. Maybe the third great volleyballer proudly bearing the name of the Zlatanov family has just embarked on a glorious journey of his own.

• Watch Italy’s SuperLega Credem Banca live and on demand on VBTV.

At 15 years, 8 months and 26 days, Manuel was called by coach Andrea Anastasi to enter the court during the third set of Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza’s straight-set home victory over Rana Verona, breaking the previous record of libero Mattia Taramelli who made his SuperLega debut in 2014 at the age of 15 years, 10 months and 1 day.

2.01m-tall Manuel is the grandson of the legendary Dimitar Zlatanov, a Moscow 1980 Olympic silver medallist and a 1970 FIVB Volleyball World Championship silver medallist, named Bulgaria’s Player of the 20^th Century and the first Bulgarian inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.

Manuel’s father is Dimitar Zlatanov’s son, Hristo Zlatanov, an Italian international, a Beijing 2008 Olympian and two-time champion and four-time medallist in the FIVB Volleyball World League, who also held the record for most total points scored in Serie A. Hristo Zlatanov is currently Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza’s general manager.

Manuel’s Bulgarian grandmother Mariya and Italian mother Chiara also had their time on the volleyball courts.

Earlier this year, Manuel Zlatanov triumphed as a U17 European champion with the Italian youth national team. In the final in Montenegro, he and his teammates defeated the team of Bulgaria.

Shortly after entering a SuperLega match for the first time last Sunday, young Zlatanov also scored his first point, cheered on by over two thousand spectators on the stands at the Pala Banca.

“Yes, I was a little nervous and worried when coach Anastasi told me to come in. But it was a good concern. I knew I couldn't make a mistake,” Manuel said for the club website. “When I threw the ball for the serve I got a little confused, but luckily I hit it and everything went well. I say thanks to the coach for giving me my debut. I'm happy. But it will be Dad who pays for the drinks because I don't have any money.”

“It was a unique sensation, something I had never experienced. I tried to distract myself by looking at my phone and talking to my neighbours on the stands, but it was really something indescribable,” Hristo Zlatanov told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“We are happy that Manuel is following in the footsteps of his grandpa and his dad,” a proud Dimitar Zlatanov told Volleyball World. “He chose that path himself. He went through a few sports, but I just told him to follow his heart and eventually he chose volleyball. So now a new volleyball page in our family history is turned, and it is our family’s new pride and new joy. Manuel is very young and he has a lot of work to do ahead, but let’s hope he surpasses our success. He knows the way…”

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024: full schedule and results

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