PFC Levski Sofia

football club
Levski Sofia ( bulgarian : Левски София ) is a bulgarian professional association football club based in Sofia, which competes in the First League, the acme division of the Bulgarian football league system. The golf club was founded on 24 May 1914 as a football department of Levski Sofia sports club by a group of students, and is named after Vasil Levski, a bulgarian revolutionist renowned as the national bomber of the area. Levski has won a sum of 73 trophies, including 26 national titles, 25 national cups and 3 supercups, adenine well as 13 domestic Doubles and 1 Treble. It is besides the merely Bulgarian football club to have never been relegated from the top division since the establishment of the league organization in 1937. [ 1 ] Levski has reached the quarter-finals of UEFA competitions for five times, was runner-up of the Balkans Cup twice, and in 2006, it became the inaugural bulgarian club to enter the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. The team ‘s regular kit color is all-blue. Levski ‘s home land is the Vivacom Arena – Georgi Asparuhov in Sofia, which has a capability of 25,000 spectators. The clubhouse ‘s biggest rivals are CSKA Sofia, and matches between the two capital sides are normally referred to as the Eternal bowler hat of Bulgaria. Levski is besides a regular member of the European Club Association and the european Multisport Club Association. [ 2 ] [ 3 ]

Reading: PFC Levski Sofia

history [edit ]

Sport Club Levski ( 1914–1969 ) [edit ]

first kit ( 1914–1920 ) Sport Club Levski was founded in 1911 by a group of secondary school students in Sofia. [ 4 ] The clubhouse ‘s diagnose was chosen in award of the Bulgarian revolutionary Vasil Levski, and the club was officially registered on 24 May 1914. In 1914, Levski lost its first official match against FC 13 Sofia with the grade 2–0. between 1914 and 1920, football was n’t a democratic sport in Bulgaria, and no extra information about the club exists. In the summer of 1921, the Sofia Sports League was established, which united ten clubs from Sofia and marked the beginning of organized football competitions in the city. Levski won the first equal in the backing in the 1921–22 season, held on 18 September 1921, against Athletic Sofia with the score of 3–1. The team captured first station in the league in 1923 after a 3–2 win over bitter rivals Slavia Sofia, and successfully defended the style the follow season. The first National Championship was held in 1924 with Levski representing Sofia. The team went on to win the title in 1933, 1937 and 1942, and established itself as the most popular football clubhouse in Bulgaria. [ citation needed ] In 1929, Levski became the first semi-professional football club in Bulgaria, after twelve players staged a boycott of the team in demand of fiscal wage and insurance benefits. The same class Levski met its first international opponents, losing to Gallipoli Istanbul 1–0 and winning against Kuban Istanbul 6–0. between 1930 and 1932, Levski won the Ulpia Serdica Cup for three consecutive years and was permanently awarded the trophy as a leave .

[5] Levski kit during a large part of the 1940s–1960s After World War II, Levski became one of the two top clubs in Bulgaria. After winning the backing in 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950 and 1953, Levski would not capture the domestic entitle again until the mid-1960s. In 1949, the authorities changed the club ‘s name to Dinamo following the soviet traditions, but after the destalinization of Bulgaria, it was reverted in 1957. The 1960s were marked with tax return to achiever both on the domestic and on the external phase. Levski ‘s academy would become the most successful in national young competitions for the years to come, and the results were first base seen in the likes of Georgi Asparuhov, Georgi Sokolov, Biser Mihaylov, Kiril Ivkov, Ivan Vutsov, Stefan Aladzhov and Aleksandar Kostov, assisted by experience veterans like Stefan Abadzhiev, Dimo Pechenikov and Hristo Iliev, which resulted in winning the backing in 1965, 1968 and 1970, including the 7–2 victory over new bitter rivals CSKA Sofia in 1968. In the 1965–66 european Cup, Levski was eliminated in the first round by Benfica with 5–4 on aggregate .
In January 1969, Levski was forcibly merged with Spartak Sofia by the Bulgarian Communist Party, and put under the auspice of the Ministry of Interior Affairs. [ 6 ] The name of the club was once again changed, this time to Levski-Spartak. A fresh crop of youngsters in the likes of Kiril Milanov, Dobromir Zhechev, Pavel Panov, Stefan Pavlov, Yordan Yordanov, Stefan Staykov, Tomas Lafchis, Todor Barzov, Voyn Voynov, Georgi Tsvetkov, Plamen Nikolov, and Rusi Gochev not only found their place in the beginning team, but brought modern league titles in 1974, 1977, 1979, 1984 and 1985. On the international stage, the team reached the quarter-finals of the european Cup Winners ‘ Cup in 1969–70 and 1976–77, and the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in 1975–76. In the latter, Levski defeated Barcelona 5–4 in the moment leg, becoming one of the two european teams ( the other being Bayern Munich ) to have scored five or more goals in one match against Barcelona in official UEFA competitions. [ 7 ] Additionally, Levski became the lone bulgarian golf club to eliminate a german champion after defeating VfB Stuttgart in the foremost round of the 1984–85 european Cup. They besides eliminated Stuttgart a year earlier in the first round off of the 1983–84 UEFA Cup .

Vitosha Sofia ( 1985–1989 ) [edit ]

The mention of the team was changed to Vitosha by the authorities following the disruptions during and after the bulgarian Cup final in 1985. [ 8 ] The game ran on high emotions fuelled by the mottle of consecutive victories of Levski over CSKA in the two years prior to the game. During the game, which CSKA won 2–1, there were confrontations both on the field and on the stands. [ 8 ] By decree of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party, some of the leading players of both clubs were suspended from the sport for life. [ 8 ] The championship entitle of the clubhouse for 1985 was suspended. however, the suspensions were lifted soon after. [ 8 ] Levski won another cup and league titles in 1986 and 1988, respectively. The fourth european quarter-final came in 1986–87, when Levski knocked out the 1985–86 danish Cup winners Boldklubben 1903 and the 1985–86 Yugoslav Cup holders Velež Mostar, before losing to the 1985–86 Copa del Rey winners Real Zaragoza .

Levski Sofia ( 1989–2009 ) [edit ]

After the 1989–90 season, the club regained its original name. The team was made up of players such as Plamen Nikolov, Petar Hubchev, Tsanko Tsvetanov, Emil Kremenliev, Zlatko Yankov, Georgi Slavchev, Ilian Iliev, Daniel Borimirov, Stanimir Stoilov, Velko Yotov, Plamen Getov, Nikolay Todorov and Nasko Sirakov, and won three back-to-back domestic home championships in 1993, 1994 and 1995. Levski contributed seven players ( Tsvetanov, Kremenliev, Yankov, Sirakov, Nikolov, Petar Aleksandrov and Borimirov ), more than any other bulgarian team, to the Bulgaria home football team that finished in fourth identify at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. In 2005–06, Levski reached the quarter-finals of the 2005–06 UEFA Cup after knocking out the 2004–05 Coupe de France winners Auxerre in the foremost polish, finishing above SC Heerenveen, Dinamo București and the reigning claim holders CSKA Moscow in the group stage, triumphing over Champions League participants Artmedia Bratislava and Udinese in the smasher stages, before being eliminated by Schalke 04 .
Levski, as the champions of Bulgaria, started their 2006–07 UEFA Champions League participation in the moment qualiftying round, where they eliminated georgian champions Sioni Bolnisi, defeating them 2–0 both home and away. In the one-third cycle, Levski faced italian team Chievo Verona, which took part in the tournament because of other clubs ‘ sanctions as part of the 2006 Serie A matchfixing scandal. Levski eliminated Chievo after a critical 2–0 gain in Sofia and a 2–2 disembowel in Verona, and therefore became the foremost bulgarian golf club to always reach the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. [ 9 ] There, they faced the title holders Barcelona, Premier League champions Chelsea, and Werder Bremen. [ 10 ] They lost all six games and scored only one finish, in the second round against Chelsea. [ 8 ] Levski earned a target in the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League after the Bulgarian league champions CSKA Sofia failed to obtain a UEFA license. [ 11 ] Levski lost to BATE Borisov of Belarus in the third base modification round .

Levski Sofia ( 2009–present ) [edit ]

During the 2009–10 temper, Levski ‘s team started their european crusade with a 9–0 ( on aggregate ) acquire against UE Sant Julià in the moment modification round of the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League. In the next round, Levski Sofia faced FK Baku, eliminating the team from Azerbaijan with 2–0 on aggregate. In the play-off round, Levski was eliminated by Debrecen with 4–1 on aggregate. As one of the play-off losers, Levski qualified for the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League. In the group stage, Levski faced Villarreal, Lazio and Red Bull Salzburg. Levski achieved entirely one win and five defeats. Levski took the win against Lazio in Italy, after Hristo Yovov scored the winning finish in the match. Levski started the 2010–11 season with a pit against Dundalk, in a moment passing round of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League. Levski won the beginning match 6–0. [ 12 ] In the hark back branch at Oriel Park, Levski defeated Dundalk 2–0 with two first one-half goals from Garra Dembélé. In the future round Levski played against Kalmar FF. The beginning catch ended 1–1 in Sweden. In the return stage in Sofia, Levski won 5–2. In between, The Blues defeated their archrival CSKA Sofia in the Eternal bowler hat with 1–0. Their next match in the Europa League saw them play against AIK Fotboll from Stockholm, Sweden. The inaugural match ended in a scoreless draw, and after the game, AIK hooligans attacked the Levski players and staff. [ citation needed ] The second gear match ended in a 2–1 family acquire for Levski. Goals scored by Daniel Mladenov and Garra Dembélé put Levski in the Europa League group stage. Levski was drawn in Group C, facing Gent, Lille and Sporting CP. The foremost match was played against Gent at home, which Levski won 3–2 with the winning goal scored by Serginho Greene. With this gain, Levski recorded eight consecutive games without a frustration in european competitions. After that, Levski lost to Sporting CP with 5–0, followed by another kill against Lille. In Sofia, Levski played well against Lille and was leading 2–1 until Ivo Ivanov scored an own finish to make it 2–2. In the survive equal of the Group C, Levski took a win against Sporting CP with 1–0, with the winning goal scored by Daniel Mladenov .
In the postdate 2011–12 season, in the third qualifying orotund of the Europa League, Levski were eliminated by Spartak Trnava of Slovakia, following a deep crippled 2–1 acquire in Sofia, and a loss of the same scoreline in Trnava. The penalty shoot-out costed Levski a position in the play-off round. This caused an overturned with the fans and players, [ citation needed ] and the team barely clinched the fourth place at the winter break in the Bulgarian league. Albeit entirely three points from the leaders Ludogoretz Razgrad, the act director Georgi Ivanov was sacked from the put, but remained at the cabaret as a sporting director. Nikolay Kostov was appointed the new director of the cabaret, giving the supporters a smell of optimism, which, however, faded after a cup knock-out in the hands of Lokomotiv Plovdiv and a home defeat to Minyor Pernik. Kostov handed in his resignation, leaving the managerial post once again vacant. Sporting director Georgi Ivanov once again stepped in to help the club, and accepted being the coach until the summer demote, when a new one would be appointed. During the summer of 2012, erstwhile musician Ilian Iliev was appointed the modern coach of the baseball club. Under his management, Levski was knocked out from the Europa League by Bosnian side FK Sarajevo. Iliev led the team to 13 league victories and to the semi-finals of the Bulgarian Cup after eliminating Cherno More Varna and Litex Lovech on the away goals dominion. Iliev however was sacked after a 1–1 away draw against Pirin Gotse Delchev. Assistant director Nikolay Mitov took over the team until the end of the season. Under his management Levski won the bowler hat clashes against Litex, CSKA and Ludogorets but failed to win the title after a 1–1 home draw against Slavia Sofia. Levski besides reached their beginning bulgarian Cup final since 2007, but lost on penalties against Beroe Stara Zagora. Despite the neglect opportunity of winning a trophy, Mitov ‘s shrink was renewed for the 2013–14 season. however, the team made another disappointing operation in Europa League, being eliminated by the Kazakh side Irtysh Pavlodar. As a result, Nikolay Mitov resigned as director. In July 2013 Slaviša Jokanović was appointed as the newly coach of the team. Despite losing only two matches in twelve games, Jokanović was released in October 2013. Ivaylo Petev was announced as his successor but during his introduction a few Levski supporters interrupted it, stating that they would not accept his appointment. [ 13 ] The future sidereal day, Petev refused to take charge of the team and Antoni Zdravkov was named as the raw director. Under his reign the team suffered a heavy 3–0 personnel casualty against rivals CSKA, but managed to knock them out in the bulgarian Cup in December 2013 after penalties. Due to the difficult fiscal situation, a few key players, such as Antonio Vutov and Garry Rodrigues, were sold to Udinese and Elche, respectively, during the winter dampen. This reflected on the team ‘s performance and Levski finished fifth and got knocked out in the quarter-finals of the bulgarian Cup by Botev Plovdiv. Antoni Zdravkov was sacked in March 2014, and Levski legend Elin Topuzakov took charge as a caretaker until the end of the 2013–14 season. For the beginning meter since 1990–91 the clubhouse did not participate in european competitions. On 23 May 2014, the cabaret supporters organized a friendly game against Lazio, marking the hundredth anniversary of the clubhouse. Club icons like Georgi Ivanov, Dimitar Ivankov, Aleksandar Aleksandrov, Hristo Yovov, Elin Topuzakov and many other erstwhile players and celebrities took engagement by playing in the plot, ampere well as donating money for the event ‘s constitution. [ 14 ] The following day, Levski marked 100 years since its initiation. [ 15 ] As of 2020, the results from a ten of bungling management have finally come out, putting the club in a fiscal crisis and on the verge of bankruptcy. [ citation needed ] In the summer of 2020, club legend Nasko Sirakov took charge of the majority of shares and the club made some fiscal cuts, forcing a big separate of the players ( chiefly foreigners ) to leave. Levski besides changed its transfer policy, signing chiefly bulgarian and homegrown players with lower salaries, allowing the clubhouse to start paying off some of the debt accumulated throughout the years. Sirakov set a target for the club to clear most of the debt by 2023, largely through sponsorship deals, outgoing transfers, television rights and the fans ‘ fiscal defend. [ 16 ]

Honours [edit ]

european record [edit ]

As of the 2019–20 season.

holocene seasons [edit ]

League positions [edit ]

Season

Position

Bulgarian Cup
Bulgarian Super Cup
UEFA Champions League
UEFA Europa League
2010–11
2

72
Quarter-finals

—

Group stage
2011–12
3

62
Quarter-finals

—

Third qualifying round
2012–13
2

71
Runners-up

—

Second qualifying round
2013–14
5

62
Quarter-finals

—

First qualifying round
2014–15
7

56
Runners-up

—

2015–16
2

56
Quarter-finals

—

2016–17
3

63
Round of 16

—

Second qualifying round
2017–18
3

64
Runners-up

—

Second qualifying round
2018–19
3

66
Round of 16

—

First qualifying round
2019–20
4

53
Semi-finals

—

Second qualifying round
2020–21
8

41
Quarter-finals

—

2021–22

—

Key

G = Games played
W = Games won
D = Games drawn
L = Games lost
GS = Goals scored
GA = Goals against
P = Points

Club symbols [edit ]

Names and crests [edit ]

First emblem of the golf club ( 1914–1934 )

Players [edit ]

First team [edit ]

As of 14 November 2021 [ 27 ] note : Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality .
For recent transfers, see Transfers summer 2021.

Out on lend [edit ]

note : Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality .

Foreign players [edit ]

Up to five non-EU nationals can be registered and given a squad number for the first team in the Bulgarian First League ; however, merely three can be used during a peer day. Those non-EU nationals with european lineage can claim citizenship from the nation their ancestors came from. If a player does not have european ancestry he can claim bulgarian citizenship after playing in Bulgaria for five years .
note : For a complete list of Levski Sofia players, see Category:PFC Levski Sofia players.

clubhouse officials [edit ]

Board of Directors [edit ]

youth academy [edit ]

Levski ‘s youth academy has developed some of the most successful bulgarian footballers. luminary academy graduates are Georgi Asparuhov, Nasko Sirakov, Bozhidar Iskrenov, Borislav Mikhailov, Emil Spasov, Nikolay Iliev, Hristo Yovov, Dimitar Ivankov and many others. At the 1994 FIFA World Cup in which Bulgaria reached the semi-finals, the bulgarian squad included four players which came through Levski ‘s youth organization, making it the most represent club in the bulgarian squad. In 2020, Levski was included in the CIES Football Observatory annual rankings, which ranks the clubs that trained the most players active in 31 top divisions of UEFA extremity associations. In these countries there were 33 footballers from Levski ‘s youth academy, and Levski was ranked 35th in Europe. [ 30 ]

stadium [edit ]

Gerena initially, the club did not possess a field of its own and train was held on an empty space called The Hillock ( Могилката/Mogilkata ), where the National Palace of Culture was built late. In 1924, the Sofia Municipality provided the club with the rights to an empty discipline on what were then the outskirts of the city, and a decade late the stadium named Levski Field was finally completed. It provided for 10,000 spectators and was regarded as the finest fun adeptness in the city. In 1949, the stadium was nationalized and later the Vasil Levski National Stadium was built on the locate. The team played in diverse locations ( including the nearby Yunak Stadium ) before moving to the “ Dinamo ” reason, which was located at the site of the modern Spartak liquid complex. In 1961 after districting the team moved to “ Suhata Reka ” neighborhood. There a newfangled stadium was completed in 1963, renamed in 1990 in honor of Levski ‘s most beloved former actor Georgi Asparuhov. In 1999, the stadium emerged from serious reconstruction for 29,000 spectators. The playing field measures 105 x 68 metres. however, the team plays most of its significant games versus foreign teams on the home stadium “ Vasil Levski ”. On one occasion the early club president Todor Batkov had demanded that Levski should receive “ Rakovski ” stadium on loan. The necessitate was on grounds that the first clubhouse stadium was nationalized and Levski had never been repaid. In October 2012, it was announced that Levski is rebuilding its stadium. The foremost phase of the aforethought reconstruction was to be completed in 2014, on the centennial of the club ‘s basis. As of 2013, the capacity was reduced to 19,000 due to the undergo reconstruction of the chief stand. On 5 July 2013, the first step was made in the construction of the main stand, which has a capacity of 6000 spectators and meets all the requirements of UEFA for the appliance of fans. contractor of the “ blue ” build is the leading bulgarian company in the construction of road infrastructure and early crucial rehabilitation projects, “ Avtomagistrali – Tcherno more ” AD. The stadium ‘s main stand was officially opened on 23 April 2016 at a extra ceremony. Since 2019, the Museum of Glory of Levski Sofia is besides located at the stadium .

Supporters [edit ]

sector B in 2006 historically, Levski Sofia fans gathered in the south stand of the stadium. This custom is believed to have its roots in the Sofia Derby when Levski fans met before the games at the area finale to the south end of the Vasil Levski National Stadium. Due to the orientation of the stadium and the appoint conventions of stands at most bulgarian stadiums, Sector B became synonymous with Levski fans. More recently the fans in Sector B are seen as function of the ultras movement popular in the Balkans. Today Sector B initiates most of the songs, choreography and pyrotechnic displays at Levski games. Levski supporters are organized by fanclubs, most notably the National Supporters Club which helps and coordinates fans from all around Bulgaria and supports the constitution of events. There are besides luminary groups from Sofia ( Sofia-West, South Division, Blue Junta, HD Boys, LSL and more ) and other cities across Bulgaria and globally ( such as Ultra Varna, Blue Huns Pernik, OCB Veliko Tarnovo, Torcida Kyustendil, Ultras Vidin, Iron Pazardzhik, Youth Brigade 034 Pazardzik, Blue Boys Blagoevgrad, Blue Lads Sliven, Vandals Pleven, Levski Club Dobrich, Ultras Radomir, Ultras Burgas, Levski 1914 Karlovo, Yambol Boys, Levski UK, Levski Chicago and more ). Ultras Levski have a long-standing friendship with Lazio fans. [ 31 ] According to a study performed for UEFA, Levski is the most popular bulgarian clubhouse and plowshare the one-sixth position in Europe with Juventus, by percentage of patronize in its own country ( 31 % ). [ 32 ]

UEFA & IFFHS rankings [edit ]

Period

Kit Manufacturer

Shirt Sponsor

1976–1991

Adidas
None

1991–1992

Diadora
Pepsi

1992–1994

Adidas

Balkanbank

1994–1996

Balkanbank / Bulstrad

1996–1998

VIS-2

1998–1999

None

1999–2000

Reusch
Mtel

2000–2005

Diadora

2005–2010

Uhlsport

2010–2012

Nike

2012–2014

Puma
VTB Capital / Mtel

2014–2015

Joma

Lev Ins / Mtel

2015–2018

Vivacom / Strabag / efbet

2018–2019

Nike

2019–2020

7777.bg

2020–

Joma

Strabag / PalmsBet[35][36]

actor records [edit ]

Statistic is correct as of matches played 26 June 2016.

managerial history and luminary players [edit ]

Managers [edit ]

luminary bulgarian players [edit ]

Players with at least one appearance for the Bulgarian national team.

luminary foreign players [edit ]

Foreign players with at least 30 games for the club or that were internationally capped. Players who were internationally capped for their country are listed in bold.

A Group top goalscorers [edit ]

See besides [edit ]

References [edit ]

Official websites
Fan websites