(R) Bulgarian League Clubs, Bulgarian teams in Euro Competition[2004-05]

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Bulgaria will have five clubs in Europe for the 2004-05 season, one more than last season.

Champions League - Lokomotiv Plovdiv
UEFA Cup - Litex Lovech (Bulgarian Cup winners), Levski Sofia (2nd), CSKA Sofia (3rd)
Intertoto Cup - Marek Dupnitsa (I don't know why Marek are playing in the Intertoto other than that they're the only ones who want to. As the 5th-placed team, Slavia Sofia should logically be playing but I think they declined and are playing in a tournament in Asia instead. Chernomorets Burgas were then chosen, but UEFA rejected a 2nd division team playing. So now...it's Marek)

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Intertoto Cup
1st round, 1st leg

20 June
Marek Dupnitsa 0-0 Dila Gori (Georgia)


2nd leg is 27 June

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Intertoto Cup
1st round, 2nd leg

Dila Gori 0-2 Marek Dupnitsa

(aggregate 0:2)

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The latest

Champions League - Lokomotiv Plovdiv will enter at the 2nd qualifying round. Their opponent will be Club Brugges of Belgium. Matches are July 28 and August 4. Brugges will host the first match.

UEFA Cup - CSKA Sofia, Levski Sofia and Litex Lovech will enter at the 2nd qualifying round. The draw for this round will be held on July 30th and the matches will be played August 12 and August 26. All three teams are seeded for the draw.

Intertoto Cup - Marek Dupnitsa are now in the second round. Their next opponent will be Genk. The matches are July 3/4 and July 10/11.

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Intertoto Cup
2nd round, 1st leg

Genk 2-1 Marek

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[Sorry for the big lag time folks, I've been doing a lot of traveling in the last month or so. I went on vacation to South Africa - highly recommended BTW - am now finally back in the States. I'll have much more regular internet access but I'm no longer living in Bulgaria. Good and bad, I suppose. Anyway...)

Intertoto Cup
2nd round, 2nd leg

Marek Dupnitsa 0-0 Genk
(1:2 aggregate)

Marek are eliminated from the Intertoto Cup

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Champions League

2nd round, 1st leg

Club Brugges 2-0 Lokomotiv Plovdiv

2nd leg

Lokomotiv Plovdiv 0-4 Club Brugges
(0:6 aggregate)

Lokomotiv Plovdiv are eliminated from the Champions League

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UEFA Cup draw

2nd qualifying round (Aug 12, 26)

Levski Sofia-Modrica Maksima (Bosnia)
Zeljeznicar Sarajevo (Bosnia)-Litex Lovech
Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus)-CSKA Sofia

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UEFA Cup
2nd round, 1st leg

Omonia Nicosia 1-1 CSKA Sofia

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This thread will follow the 2004-05 Bulgarian League. The 16 teams in this season's first division ("A Professional Football League") are the following...

Belasitsa Petrich
Beroe Stara Zagora
Cherno more Varna
CSKA Sofia
Levski Sofia
Litex Lovech
Lokomotiv Plovdiv
Lokomotiv Sofia
Marek Dupnitsa
Naftex Burgas
Nesebar
Pirin Blagoevgrad
Rodopa Smolyan
Slavia Sofia
Spartak Varna
Vidima-Rakovski Sevlievo

A few good websites to help follow Bulgarian soccer...

http://www.bulgarian-football.com/
http://www.uefa.com/footballcentral/directory/country=BUL/Association=20/index.html
http://www.rsssf.com/tablesb/bulg05.html
http://www.pfl.bg/index_eng.html


A personal note: I was living in Bulgaria for most of last season and was able to follow the league very well. I am back in the States now and, once I get settled into normal life again, I should be able to post pretty often. It will be erratic for a while and also, I'm no longer in the country and can't follow it quite as closely. But anyway, hope it can be enjoyable to read and hopefully some others can join in the discussion.

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2004-05 Schedule

Round 1
[Aug 6]
Rodopa - CSKA
Levski - Slavia
[Aug 7]
Vidima-Rakovski - Cherno more
Marek - Beroe
Belasitsa - Spartak
Pirin - Naftex
Litex - Lokomotiv S
[Aug 8]
Lokomotiv Pd - Nesebar

Round 2
[Aug 14]
Nesebar - Rodopa
Spartak V - Pirin
Beroe - Belasitsa
[Aug 15]
Slavia - CSKA
Lokomotiv S - Marek
Cherno more - Litex
Levski - Vidima-Rakovski
Naftex - Lokomotiv Pd

Round 3
[Aug 21]
Vidima-Rakovski - Slavia
Marek - Cherno more
Belasitsa - Lokomotiv S
Pirin - Beroe
Lokomotiv Pd - Spartak V
Rodopa - Naftex
CSKA - Nesebar
[Aug 22]
Litex - Levski

Round 4
[Aug 27]
Slavia - Nesebar
[Aug 28]
Spartak V - Rodopa
Lokomotiv S - Pirin
Cherno more - Belasitsa
[Aug 29]
Beroe - Lokomotiv Pd
Vidima-Rakovski - Litex
Levski - Marek
Naftex - CSKA

Round 5
[Sep 10]
CSKA - Spartak V
[Sep 11]
Marek - Vidima-Rakovski
Belasitsa - Levski
Pirin - Cherno more
Lokomotiv Pd - Lokomotiv S
Rodopa - Beroe
Nesebar - Naftex
Litex - Slavia

Round 6
[Sep 17]
Lokomotiv S - Rodopa
[Sep 18]
Slavia - Naftex
Spartak V - Nesebar
Cherno more - Lokomotiv Pd
Vidima-Rakovski - Belasitsa
[Sep 19]
Beroe - CSKA
Levski - Pirin
Litex - Marek

Round 7 [Sep 25]
Marek - Slavia
Belasitsa - Litex
Pirin - Vidima-Rakovski
Lokomotiv Pd - Levski
Rodopa - Cherno more
Nesebar - Beroe
Naftex - Spartak V
CSKA - Lokomotiv S

Round 8
[Oct 1]
Slavia - Spartak V
[Oct 2]
Beroe - Naftex
Lokomotiv S - Nesebar
Marek - Belasitsa
[Oct 3]
Cherno more - CSKA
Levski - Rodopa
Vidima-Rakovski - Lokomotiv Pd
Litex - Pirin

Round 9
[Oct 16]
Belasitsa - Slavia
Pirin - Marek
Lokomotiv Pd - Litex
Rodopa - Vidima-Rakovski
Nesebar - Cherno more
Spartak V - Beroe
Naftex - Lokomotiv S
[Oct 17]
CSKA - Levski

Round 10
[Oct 22]
Lokomotiv S - Spartak V
[Oct 23]
Slavia - Beroe
Cherno more - Naftex
Belasitsa - Pirin
[Oct 24]
Levski - Nesebar
Vidima-Rakovski - CSKA
Litex - Rodopa
Marek - Lokomotiv Pd

Round 11 [Oct 30]
Pirin - Slavia
Lokomotiv Pd - Belasitsa
Rodopa - Marek
Nesebar - Vidima-Rakovski
Spartak V - Cherno more
Beroe - Lokomotiv S
CSKA - Litex
Naftex - Levski

Round 12
[Nov 6]
Slavia - Lokomotiv S
Cherno more - Beroe
Vidima-Rakovski - Naftex
Belasitsa - Rodopa
Pirin - Lokomotiv Pd
[Nov 7]
Levski - Spartak V
Litex - Nesebar
Marek - CSKA

Round 13
[Nov 13]
Lokomotiv Pd - Slavia
Rodopa - Pirin
CSKA - Belasitsa
Nesebar - Marek
Spartak V - Vidima-Rakovski
Beroe - Levski
Naftex - Litex
[Nov 14]
Lokomotiv S - Cherno more

Round 14
[Nov 20]
Levski - Lokomotiv S
Vidima-Rakovski - Beroe
Litex - Spartak V
Marek - Naftex
Belasitsa - Nesebar
Pirin - CSKA
Lokomotiv Pd - Rodopa
[Nov 21]
Slavia - Cherno more

Round 15
[Nov 27]
Rodopa - Slavia
Nesebar - Pirin
Spartak V - Marek
Lokomotiv S - Vidima-Rakovski
[Nov 28]
CSKA - Lokomotiv Pd
Beroe - Litex
Cherno more - Levski
Naftex - Belasitsa

Round 16
Slavia - Levski
Cherno more - Vidima-Rakovski
Lokomotiv S - Litex
Beroe - Marek
Spartak V - Belasitsa
Naftex - Pirin
Nesebar - Lokomotiv Pd
CSKA - Rodopa

Round 17
CSKA - Slavia
Rodopa - Nesebar
Lokomotiv Pd - Naftex
Pirin - Spartak V
Belasitsa - Beroe
Marek - Lokomotiv S
Litex - Cherno more
Vidima-Rakovski - Levski

Round 18
Slavia - Vidima-Rakovski
Levski - Litex
Cherno more - Marek
Lokomotiv S - Belasitsa
Beroe - Pirin
Spartak V - Lokomotiv Pd
Naftex - Rodopa
Nesebar - CSKA

Round 19
Nesebar - Slavia
CSKA - Naftex
Rodopa - Spartak V
Lokomotiv Pd - Beroe
Pirin - Lokomotiv S
Belasitsa - Cherno more
Marek - Levski
Litex - Vidima-Rakovski

Round 20
Slavia - Litex
Vidima-Rakovski - Marek
Levski - Belasitsa
Cherno more - Pirin
Lokomotiv S - Lokomotiv Pd
Beroe - Rodopa
Spartak V - CSKA
Naftex - Nesebar

Round 21
Naftex - Slavia
Nesebar - Spartak V
CSKA - Beroe
Rodopa - Lokomotiv S
Lokomotiv Pd - Cherno more
Pirin - Levski
Belasitsa - Vidima-Rakovski
Marek - Litex

Round 22
Slavia - Marek
Litex - Belasitsa
Vidima-Rakovski - Pirin
Levski - Lokomotiv Pd
Cherno more - Rodopa
Lokomotiv S - CSKA
Beroe - Nesebar
Spartak V - Naftex

Round 23
Spartak V - Slavia
Naftex - Beroe
Nesebar - Lokomotiv S
CSKA - Cherno more
Rodopa - Levski
Lokomotiv Pd - Vidima-Rakovski
Pirin - Litex
Belasitsa - Marek

Round 24
Slavia - Belasitsa
Marek - Pirin
Litex - Lokomotiv Pd
Vidima-Rakovski - Rodopa
Levski - CSKA
Cherno more - Nesebar
Lokomotiv S - Naftex
Beroe - Spartak V

Round 25
Beroe - Slavia
Spartak V - Lokomotiv S
Naftex - Cherno more
Nesebar - Levski
CSKA - Vidima-Rakovski
Rodopa - Litex
Lokomotiv Pd - Marek
Pirin - Belasitsa

Round 26
Slavia - Pirin
Belasitsa - Lokomotiv Pd
Marek - Rodopa
Litex - CSKA
Vidima-Rakovski - Nesebar
Levski - Naftex
Cherno more - Spartak V
Lokomotiv S - Beroe

Round 27
Lokomotiv S - Slavia
Beroe - Cherno more
Spartak V - Levski
Naftex - Vidima-Rakovski
Nesebar - Litex
CSKA - Marek
Rodopa - Belasitsa
Lokomotiv Pd - Pirin

Round 28
Slavia - Lokomotiv Pd
Pirin - Rodopa
Belasitsa - CSKA
Marek - Nesebar
Litex - Naftex
Vidima-Rakovski - Spartak V
Levski - Beroe
Cherno more - Lokomotiv S

Round 29
Cherno more - Slavia
Lokomotiv S - Levski
Beroe - Vidima-Rakovski
Spartak V - Litex
Naftex - Marek
Nesebar - Belasitsa
CSKA - Pirin
Rodopa - Lokomotiv Pd

Round 30
Slavia - Rodopa
Lokomotiv Pd - CSKA
Pirin - Nesebar
Belasitsa - Naftex
Marek - Spartak V
Litex - Beroe
Vidima-Rakovski - Lokomotiv S
Levski - Cherno more

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Bulgarian Super Cup
[31 July]

Loko Pd 1-0 Litex

(Paskov 90+)

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1st Round

Rodopa 0-1 CSKA
Levski 3-0 Slavia
Vidima-Rakovski 2-1 Cherno more
Marek 1-0 Beroe
Belasitsa 4-0 Spartak
Pirin 0-1 Naftex
Litex 2-0 Lok Sf
Loko Pd 4-1 Nesebar

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UEFA Cup
2nd round, 1st leg

Levski Sofia 5-0 Modrica (hat trick by Chilikov)
Zeljeznicar 1-2 Litex Lovech

[tomo]

Already the third time Belgium and Bulgaria will meet this season. How good is the Levski Sofia squad?

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Already the third time Belgium and Bulgaria will meet this season. How good is the Levski Sofia squad?Hi tomo. Sorry for the delay. I really don't know much about any of the teams this year, I'm just getting settled in after a move and haven't had time to research the teams yet. I'll have some info soon.

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UEFA Cup
2nd round, 2nd leg

CSKA Sofia 3-1 Omonia Nicosia (aet)
(4:2 aggregate)
Litex Lovech 7-0 Zeljeznicar
(9:1 aggregate)
Modrica 0-3 Levski Sofia
(0:8 aggregate)

All three Bulgarian clubs advance in the UEFA Cup.

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UEFA Cup
1st round

GAK (Austria) - Litex Lovech
Steaua Bucharest (Romania) - CSKA Sofia
Levski Sofia - Beveren (Belgium)

Matches to be played September 16 and 30



Note: I got the exact wording wrong in my earlier posts...the earlier round was the second qualifying round, now we will begin the first round proper. Whatever...why not just first, second, third, etc?

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2nd round

Nesebar 2-0 Rodopa
Spartak 1-2 Pirin
Beroe 2-0 Belasitsa
Slavia 1-4 CSKA
Loko Sf 4-2 Marek
Cherno more 1-3 Litex
Levski 2-0 Vidima-Rakovski
Naftex 1-1 Loko Pd

3rd round

Vidima-Rakovski 0-1 Slavia
Marek 2-1 Cherno more
Belasitsa 1-0 Loko Sf
Pirin 0-0 Beroe
Loko Pd 5-0 Spartak
Rodopa 1-0 Naftex
CSKA 5-0 Nesebar
Litex 0-1 Levski

4th round

Slavia 4-1 Nesebar
Spartak 0-1 Rodopa
Loko Sf 0-0 Pirin
Cherno more 3-0 Belasitsa
Beroe 2-1 Loko Pd
Vidima-Rakovski 1-2 Litex
Levski 3-2 Marek
Naftex 0-4 CSKA

Standings
1. CSKA, Levski 12
3. Litex 9
4. Loko Pd, Beroe 7
6. Belasitsa, Marek, Rodopa, Slavia 6
10. Pirin 5
11. Naftex 4
12. Cherno more, Vidima-Rakovski, Nesebar 3
15. Loko Sf 1
16. Spartak 0

* Loko Sf were given a 3 point deduction from the league due to some sort of financial irregularities.

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5th round

CSKA 6-0 Spartak (Hat trick by Hristo Yanev)
Belasitsa 0-1 Levski
Marek 2-2 Vidima-Rakovski
Pirin 3-0 Cherno more
Loko Pd 4-0 Loko Sf
Rodopa 2-1 Beroe
Nesebar 0-0 Naftex
Litex 1-1 Slavia

Standings
1. CSKA, Levski 15
3. Loko Pd, Litex 10
5. Rodopa 9
6. Pirin 8
7. Beroe, Marek, Slavia 7
10. Belasitsa 6
11. Naftex 5
12. Vidima-Rakovski, Nesebar 4
14. Cherno more 3
15. Loko Sf 1
16. Spartak 0