The fifth edition of the event represents an ideal opportunity for the top teams from across Europe to test themselves ahead of the eagerly anticipated European Championships coming up later this summer in Hungary.

Italy and Slovenia finished first and third last year and they are regarded as the ‘hottest’ candidates to secure top honours this time around as well. Italy travel to Poland after completing a camp that lasted until June 1 and hoping to repeat their previous achievements in this same competition. They will start their campaign playing hosts Poland on Friday at 9 am local time – and their fifth match of the weekend against Slovenia on Sunday could potentially determine the eventual winners of the tournament in an all-important ‘final clash’.

“We feel good and we cannot wait to test ourselves,” says captain Francesca Bosio. “We are extremely motivated. We have been working extremely hard on developing our offensive as well as defensive game. I believe that our strongest asset remains the cohesion of the group. This allows us to give our best whenever we take to the court and to improve where there is still room to do so. The Golden Nations League is a very important competition and the first of two international tournaments in the lead up to the European Championships. The more we play, the more we realise what we have to improve on. We are travelling to Poland on Thursday and you can rest assured that we will be playing with glowing hearts.”

“This is a key test ahead of the European Championships,” adds coach Pasquale D’Aniello. “We have been working extremely hard for a few months and I am satisfied with the way things have developed this far. We have focused on improving our serve and have done so with every single player through video analysis. This asset could make a difference even though our group is already high-performing. Talking about the opponents, Ukraine and Slovenia have been our toughest rivals lately. It is never easy to confirm previous results, since all opponents will be ready to put up a fight, but we are aware of our strength and we certainly go to Poland to achieve the best possible result.”

Apart from Italy, last year’s bronze medal winners Slovenia is the other team that returns to the Nations League after competing at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, where they finished in sixth place, losing that classification match in straight sets to the Italians. The group has experienced some major changes, with Marko Pokleka replacing long-term coach Simon Božič.

“Our team has achieved outstanding results in recent years at all major competitions. These achievements speak for themselves and rightly position us among the main favourites for the upcoming Golden Nations League. Of course, the competition in Poland will be tough, but our girls have every chance to once again reach the top – they have confidence, experience, and a winning mentality on their side. I personally do not have information about changes in other teams, nor do we want to concern ourselves with that. Our main focus right now is on reducing our own mistakes and improving our shape ahead of the European Championship,” Pokleka says.

“After the Paralympic Games, the team deserved a short break. Since January, however, we have been fully active and in full swing. The lineup has changed slightly, but this does not affect our ambitions or high goals. As for our expectations in the Golden Nations League, we are completely relaxed. This competition will be a great opportunity to assess our current state and see where we stand compared to others. We certainly aim to show good preparedness and high-quality play – the results will follow naturally,” he adds.

The coach emphasises what other changes the group has undergone since last year: “After the Paralympic Games, Saša Kotnik ended her playing career. I’d like to sincerely thank her for her exceptional contribution and dedication to the team over the years. After a short break, Jana Ferjan and Senta Jeler have returned to the team. They are both very important to the squad – both on and off the court.

“Unfortunately, our captain Lena Gaberšček will not be with us this season. She is expecting a baby soon, and we wholeheartedly congratulate her. These things are quite normal in sports – some players leave, others join. What’s key is that the team has enough time to prepare and build chemistry, which we certainly have this season.”

Star player Tija Vrhovnik echoes the same feelings: “Unfortunately, we will be playing without our captain at the upcoming competitions, as Lena is expecting a baby. However, I think that we are used to sudden changes. Two new players have joined the team, and I am also happy that Senta [Jeler] is returning to the squad after a break.

“Our mindset remains unchanged, regardless of the team lineup. On the court we want to show fighting spirit and relentless play. We take it one point at the time, one game at the time. Our goals remain high - we want to deliver strong performances. The Golden League will be an excellent opportunity to see where we stand with our game, what our strengths and weaknesses are, and it will serve as solid preparation for the European Championship. I believe that due to our past achievements, teams approach matches against us with extra motivation - which, in turn, is motivating for us as well. We do not want to lower our standards; instead, we strive to get better with every game.”

Keep updated on the competition website here.