Poland's Tomasz Fornal explained why he wore the libero jersey and sat out the team's quarterfinal battle against Turkiye in the 2025 FIVB Men's World Championship.
Fans watching Poland’s quarterfinal clash against Turkiye at the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship may have noticed something unusual even before the match started.
Outside hitter Tomasz Fornal was spotted wearing a libero jersey on the bench.
The reason, Fornal revealed, was a minor back issue he sustained during training the day before their match against Turkiye.
Playing it safe
“I blew my back like yesterday after the practice a little bit,” Fornal explained. “For sure, it’s not easy. We have this comfort in our team that if some players get injured, another can go in and play amazing, so the most important is that we win. We keep fighting.”
Tomasz Fornal watches on from the bench during Poland's quarterfinal sweep of Turkiye. | Photo: RM Chua/One Sports
Though he admitted the tweak wasn’t serious, Poland opted not to take chances, sitting out Fornal in the match.
“It looks like, and I feel like nothing serious, but today we didn’t want to risk too much, and I hope that by Saturday I will be ready,” he added.
Still dominant
Even without Fornal on the court, the world No. 1 Poles were untouchable, sweeping Turkiye, 25-15, 25-22, 25-18.
Wilfredo Leon led the charge with 13 points, while Jakub Kochanowski matched him with another 13. Veterans Bartosz Kurek and Norbert Huber added 10 and nine, respectively.
The win sent Poland to its fourth straight semifinal appearance, extending a streak that began in 2014 when it captured its first World Championship crown.
Eyes on Italy
Fornal, who hopes to return in time for Saturday, September 27, knows the next hurdle will be the toughest yet as they gear up for a semifinal showdown with world No. 2 Italy.
“We want to win for sure and this is our goal and this is our expectation,” he said. “We want to play in the Final. Every time we want to fight for the gold, so we have to beat Italia to be in the Final.”
[ALSO READ: Mattia Bottolo emphasizes Italy's 'outsider' mentality in hunt for back-to-back FIVB Worlds titles]
—
Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.