The Rijeka squad kicked off their preparations for the return to the Superliga season at Trsat, with the primary goal of securing their place in the league. They open the championship on October 3 against Dubrovnik.
According to Novi list, the Rijeka women's volleyball team has started preparations for their return to the Superliga, holding their training sessions at Trsat. The team is led by coaches Filip Lavić and Gordana Tomić, while Sanja Popović remains the head coach and player, but is currently assisting national team coach Igor Arbutina at the European Championship in Sweden.
The Croatian national team opens the competition on Friday against Italy, and in Rijeka, they hope for a strong performance. "The first two weeks of preparations will certainly be without Sanja, and then it depends on the results. Of course, we hope she does well," said HAOK Rijeka assistant coach Filip Lavić for Novi list. Alongside him and Gordana, the coaching staff includes Igor Lovrinov, with fitness coach Milana Simić in charge of morning workouts.
Compared to last season in the top division, Rijeka has strengthened with three young players: Franka Golemac arrived from Mladost, Ekaterina Serdar from Enna Vukovar, and Gea Glavan from neighboring Drenova. "I must commend the management because we knew the roster of players as early as the beginning of July. That's very important for any coach. We are satisfied with the additions because we've brought in three young, promising players and managed to keep the experienced Hana Čutura Bakonji. The management did a great job," added Lavić.
Another major boost is the retention of libero Mia Volarić and setter Sara Barać, who suffered a serious injury at the start of last season. "Barać completed her full rehabilitation last year and started training in May. She is certainly a key player for the new season; we just hope there are no injuries," emphasized Lavić.
Lavić stressed that the primary goal is to secure survival in the league. "First, it's important to secure our place in the league and get through the season calmly. Veli Vrh entered the Superliga last season and were quickly relegated. Their example shows that staying in the higher tier is not easy. However, with Sanja and Hana on the court, I am very optimistic that we can secure it without problems. After that, the goal is to gradually grow and develop the young girls. Six junior players will be part of the first team, which we are proud of," concluded Lavić.
The championship begins on October 3, 2026, with a home match against Dubrovnik. From September 3 to 5, Rijeka will participate in a preparatory tournament in Mostar, and in mid-September, friendly matches against the Croatian U-20 national team are planned in Maribor.
