Zimpapers Logo

LONDON. – Bulgarian underdogs Ludogorets will look to match the stunning giant-killing exploits of compatriots CSKA Sofia when they make their Champions League soccer home debut against holders Real Madrid tonight. CSKA, the most successful club in the Balkan country with 31 titles, boast a remarkable record of upsetting the odds, including European Cup wins over then-champions Ajax Amsterdam in 1973, Nottingham Forest in 1980 and Liverpool two years later.

Few people outside Bulgaria could even begin to locate the town of Razgrad, the home of Ludogorets, but their footballers could put it on the map if they upset the millionaires of Madrid at a time when Cristiano Ronaldo is scoring for fun.

CSKA and their bitter city rivals Levski are the traditional powerhouses of Bulgarian football but there is no doubt that the form side of the past three seasons has been Ludogorets.
The Eagles, who won three successive league titles, suffered a rare defeat in the domestic championship, losing 3-2 at Levski on Saturday, but coach Georgi Dermendzhiev described it as “a sobering warning, which came just in time”.

“This cold shower will only help us before the match against Real,” said regular keeper Vladislav Stoyanov, who missed the opening Group B game at Anfield due to suspension and will replace Canadian stopper Milan Borjan. Ludogorets produced a classy and confident performance at Liverpool, losing 2-1 after conceding a stoppage-time penalty, but Dermendzhiev is expected to make one more change to his starting line-up.

Former Celta Vigo winger Dani Abalo, who scored the Bulgarian’s goal against Liverpool after coming on as substitute, will play instead of the ineffective Virgil Misidjan. – Soccernet.