Kaliberda and Brehme return as Germany select 30 players for VNL 2023

After not being able to count on several of his key players in his first year at the helm of the German men’s national team, coach Michał Winiarski will apparently have more pieces to work with in 2023 after his selection for the season was announced.

The former Polish national team player selected 30 athletes to be a part of the German national team during 2023 and will pick from that group to form the squad that will compete in the Volleyball Nations League.

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Outside hitter Denis Kaliberda and middle blocker Anton Brehme are the most prominent players that return to the team in 2023. Dealing with injuries, the 32-year-old outside hitter and the 23-year-old middle blocker last played for the team during the 2021 European Championship.

Kaliberda, who currently plays for Top Volley Cisterna in the SuperLega Credem Banca, has been with the German national team since 2010, having appeared in the London 2012 Olympics and helped the country win bronze at the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship and silver at the 2017 European Championship. A three-time German champion with BR Volley, Brehme joined the team in 2017 and played in the first two editions of the VNL.

The two will be added to the core of the squad that represented Germany at last year’s World Championship, which counted on setter Lukas Kampa, opposite Linus Weber, outside hitter Christian Fromm and libero Julian Zenger – libero David Sossenheimer was the only of 14 players called up by Winiarski last year to not return in 2023.

“We were missing nine players last year during the VNL and that was tough,” Winiarski reflected. “Now we have the veterans back, but also some younger players and guys who were injured with us and we want to see all of them in action because we’ll have a long season, with big tournaments, and will need everyone. Only with every player available we’ll be able to fight to achieve our goals.”

Also absent from the German national team since the 2021 European Championship, 38-year-old opposite Georg Grozer will not be back with the squad for now, but he could make himself available later in the season.

“It’s possible that he comes back, but that’s his decision,” Winiarksi added.

The first group of players is already working in Kienbaum in a ten-day training camp that started on May 2. On May 16, more players will join the team as the start of the VNL 2023 approaches.

Germany will begin their VNL campaign in Ottawa, Canada, from June 6-11, facing Brazil, the Netherlands, Italy and Canada in the opening week of the event. Before that, the Europeans will face Poland in friendly matches on the road on May 25 and 26.

Germany men’s national full roster:

Setters: Eric Burggräf, Jan Zimmermann, Johannes Tille, Leon Dervisaj, Lukas Kampa
Opposites: Daniel Malescha, Filip John, Linus Weber, Simon Gallas, Simon Torwie, Yann Böhme
Outside hitters: Christian Fromm, Denis Kaliberda, Egor Bogachev, Erik Röhrs, Lorenz Karlitzek, Max Schulz, Moritz Karlitzek, Moritz Reichert, Ruben Schott, Tim Peter, Tobias Brand
Middle blockers: Anton Brehme, Florian Krage, Jakob Günthör, Lukas Maaese, Tobias Krick, Yannick Goralik
Liberos: Julian Zenger, Leonard Graven

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