Piazza: Iran’s players have improved, but I’m still not satisfied

TEHRAN – Iran men’s national volleyball team head coach Roberto Piazza said his players have made noticeable progress but stressed that the team are still far from his ideal level following a 3-1 victory over Cuba in the final match of Week 2 of the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League.

Speaking after the match, Piazza praised the high level of competition in the Volleyball Nations League, emphasizing that there are no easy matches, as every team face some of the world’s strongest opponents.

Reflecting on the match against Cuba, Piazza said Iran performed well until the closing stages of the second set, but the serious injury to Javier Concepción changed the course of the game. According to the Italian coach, the incident had an emotional impact on both teams, causing Iran’s players to temporarily lose their focus.

Looking ahead to Week 3 of the competition, Piazza noted that the team still have sufficient time to prepare. He said the coaching staff will use the break to analyze the team’s performances through technical meetings and identify areas for improvement.

Piazza concluded by saying: “The players have improved compared to the past, and they are making progress. However, that level of improvement is still not enough for me. We need to identify our weaknesses so that we can enter the third week of the tournament better prepared.”