Bulgaria buzzing as Ludogorets host Real Madrid
Thursday, September 25, 2014
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UEFA.com's Bulgarian correspondent Stoyan Georgiev says the country is on a high about Real Madrid CF's visit to PFC Ludogorets Razgrad, with 42,000 expected at the game.
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Bulgarian football fans are euphoric about the imminent arrival of European champions Real Madrid CF, the latest instalment in the PFC Ludogorets Razgrad fairy tale.
After they fought bravely but ultimately fell frustratingly short at Liverpool FC on their UEFA Champions League group stage debut, anticipation is high for the visit of Cristiano Ronaldo and company to Sofia – Ludogorets's Anfield display merely heightening the feverish atmosphere. The club began ticket sales with a package for all three Group B home matches, promptly selling more than 20,000 packages in just three hours last Saturday
That, however, was merely the start. Virtually all 35,000 packages for the Stadion Vasil Levski have already been snapped up, with individual tickets for the Madrid game set to go on sale later on Friday – and expected to go in a few hours. Ludogorets are predicting a sell-out at the ground with its capacity of almost 42,000 – something that has not happened for several years.
Fans from all over the country will flock to Ludogorets's UEFA Champions League home debut as they have waited eight long years to hear the competition anthem at the venue again. PFC Levski Sofia are only other Bulgarian side to have reached the group stage, in 2006/07, when FC Barcelona, Chelsea FC and SV Werder Bremen came to town.
The Madrid match next Wednesday will be particularly special for Ludogorets winger Dani Abalo, who was at RC Celta de Vigo until moving to Bulgaria in 2013. "Yes, it will be such a big occasion," said the Spaniard. "My family and friends in Spain have been waiting for the games against Real Madrid. They are so proud of me and of Ludogorets."
It may seem mission impossible for Ludogorets to take something from the matchday two contest, but history suggests there could yet be a surprise. Bulgaria's most successful club PFC CSKA Sofia have dethroned three European title holders as the Vasil Levski became famous as a graveyard for champions:
1973/74 second round: CSKA Sofia 2-0 AFC Ajax (aet; 2-1 on aggregate)
Having lost the first leg 1-0 in Amsterdam, the Reds erased the deficit in the 68th minute when Dimitar Marashliev headed in Georgi Denev's cross. With penalties looming, substitute Stefan Mihaylov became CSKA's unlikely hero with an unstoppable shot four minutes from time.
1980/81 First round CSKA Sofia 1-0 Nottingham Forest FC (2-0 on aggregate)
Led by the legendary Brian Clough, Forest arrived in Sofia as hot favourites following back-to-back European Champion Clubs' Cup triumphs. But at the Vasil Levski, CSKA dominated the game and won through a single goal from winger Tsvetan Yonchev. Two weeks later CSKA prevailed again, 1-0 at the City Ground, to end Forest's love affair with the competition.
1981/82 quarter-finals CSKA Sofia 2-0 Liverpool FC (aet; 2-1 on aggregate)
Having lost 6-1 on aggregate to Liverpool a year before, the Bulgarian champions restricted the Merseysiders to just a 1-0 win at Anfield, setting the stage for probably the Army Club's greatest European night. Two goals from their current coach Stoycho Mladenov, the second in extra time, sent the crowd delirious as CSKA earned a famous victory.