Bulgaria’s most successful football team CSKA (Sofia) was recently sent to the amateur league, which shocked its supporters and the whole sports society as well. The fact that another popular team Lokomotiv (Sofia) had the same destiny did not bring any relief to its numerous fans.

CSKA failed to obtain license for the professional football, because its total indebtedness amounts to some EUR 15 million. Moreover, UEFA did not allow this football club to merge with other football teams such as Lokomotiv (Sofia), Litex, etc. In fact, these ideas divided the supporters of CSKA.

Two Bulgarian top businessmen Grisha Ganchev and Vasil Bozhkov voiced their intentions to revive the football team. The latest hot news is that Vasil Bozhkov officially announced that he actually abandoned his intentions to start his new football project. Mr Bozhkov wanted CSKA to start from the amateur division, if the current club went bankrupt. That is why he registered a new company named CSKA Sofia. However, when Grisha Ganchev voiced his intentions to revive the current company, become the major shareholder of the club and start from the third football division, Vasil Bozhkov decided to abandon his project. Thus, the seemingly schizophrenic situation normalized to some extent.

Now the shares of CKSA will be transferred to Mr Grisha Gantchev who, together with another businessman Youlian Indzhov, is to take charge of the football club. The current Executive Director of CSKA Alexander Todorov explained that Grisha Ganchev would take the situation under control if he became the major shareholder of the current football club. Recently the National Revenue Agency launched a tender bid, in order to sell the team emblem. Mr Todorov made it clear that, if the club pays some of its debts, the revenue agency would stop the procedure. Unfortunately, three, four or even more teams named CSKA can be registered now. That is why we want to strengthen the current company and unite the football fans, Todorov said.

CSKA has already started to select new football players for its future participation in the third football division. Former team star Hristo Yanev is to become the team’s new football coach. He already started work on the team selection. Apparently, many renowned and interesting names are to join the club soon. CSKA will perhaps form a team, which will be stronger than some teams participating at the Bulgarian football Premiership.

Thus, it is only a matter of time for the football club to go through the third and the second football divisions and return again to the Premiership. Another club legend Plamen Markov, who recently held talks with Grisha Ganchev, will become the new Executive Director of CSKA. Now the only question is who brought this great Bulgarian team to this condition. Time will surely give answers to this question.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov