Champions League: Bulgarian Teams Hope for Group Stage Presence
August 9, 2024, 10:12 PM
The first matches of the III preliminary round of the Champions League and the League of Conferences brought mixed results for Bulgarian representatives. While some teams secured their place in the next round, others face an uphill battle.
Fortunately, the people are hopeful. The three Bulgarian teams that advanced in the first matches – CSKA 1948, “Botev” (Pd), and “Ludogorets“ – have raised the spirits of the fans.
CSKA 1948 and “Botev” secured victories in their home games, with “Ludogorets” following suit in Baku. These wins keep alive the dream of having three Bulgarian teams qualify for the group stages.
“Ludogorets” have particularly impressed, overcoming “Karabakh” in Azerbaijan and putting themselves in a strong position to advance to the Champions League playoffs. Their potential opponent there is “Dinamo” (Zagreb).
While “Ludogorets” have secured a minimum participation in the League of Conferences, other teams face elimination scenarios. “Paphos”, considered a new force in Cyprus, were overcome by “Ludogorets”, while “Zrinski” proved no match for CSKA 1948.
If “Ludogorets” are eliminated by “Karabakh”, the Bulgarian champion will face a Europa League playoff against the winner of the “Petroclub” (Mall) vs. TNS (Wales) clash. Failure in that round would mean a group stage appearance in the Conference League for “Ludogorets”.
The remaining Bulgarian teams in the Champions League playoffs will face tough opponents. CSKA 1948 will meet “Maccabi” (Petah Tikva, Izra) or CFR “Cluj” (Rum), while “Botev” will play “Zurich” (Switzerland) or “Victoria” (Guimaraes).