BR Volleys appoint Andrea Anastasi as new head coach on two-year deal

Niroomand also cast the signing as a message aimed at the rest of the league. "Die Verpflichtung ist auch ein Zeichen an die Konkurrenz", he said, calling Anastasi "der Guardiola des Volleyballs" and one of the most experienced coaches the sport has seen. In his own remarks, Anastasi said: "Ich kann hier einen guten Job machen". The Italian added that he had long been impressed by the atmosphere in Berlin, noting: "Ich war in der Champions League schon häufiger hier und war von der Atmosphäre begeistert".

Anastasi's pedigree as player and coach

Anastasi arrives from his home region of Lombardy after a one-year break from coaching. Most recently, he led the Italian clubs Perugia and Piacenza from 2023 to 2025, having previously served as national team coach of Poland, guiding the side to silver at the 2011 World Championship. As a player, the former setter won a World Championship and a European Championship with Italy, as well as an Olympic bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Games. He has also won the European Championship three times as a coach, including once with Spain. "Er ist der Guardiola des weltweiten Volleyballs, einer der erfahrensten Trainer, den die Welt erlebt hat", Niroomand said.

The Italian will not be working alone. Anastasi is set to bring his own assistant coach, who is currently employed at another club, to Berlin. Niroomand acknowledged that the new setup may need time to gel. "Wir sind vielleicht nicht am ersten Spieltag da, aber wir hoffen, dass sie in den wichtigen Phasen dann da sind. Das Risiko ist eingeplant", the managing director said, signalling that the club is prepared to be patient in the early weeks of the season.

Roster changes in Berlin

Anastasi inherits a roster that is being reshaped around him. The previous campaign had been marked by instability: Joel Banks was dismissed in January, and Alexandre Leal, who stepped in to lead the team through the playoffs, will not return despite having a year left on his contract. The club said the parting was mutual. "Wir haben uns einvernehmlich geeinigt", Niroomand said. Leal cited family reasons for the move. Markus Steuerwald, who was the final head coach of the season and guided the team to its tenth straight German title, will take charge of Helios Giesen next season.

On the player side, the Berlin club is bringing in middle blocker Louis Kunstmann from league rival VfB Friedrichshafen and welcoming back libero Erik Shoji, who previously played for the club from 2014 to 2016. Departing the squad are Jake Hanes, Nehemiah Mote and Moritz Reichert. The new Bundesliga season is scheduled to begin in October, with the European Championship running from 9 to 26 September.