CSKA Sofia won their 20th Bulgarian Cup, but now the triumph will remain in the history of Bulgarian football with the fact that for the first time a team from the third division lifted the trophy. At the final of the tournament CSKA won 1:0 against the team of Montana with a goal by Stanislav Malamov that came in the 12th minute of the intriguing game.
Days after the spectacular show of CSKA legend Hristo Stoichkov, the stands of the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia were once again full. "We are successful thanks to the great devotion of the players; they are real giants. We owe this success also to all these people who love the team," CSKA coach Hristo Yanev said after the match and congratulated the fans.
The Bulgarian Cup is a deserved reward for the team of CSKA that was forced to go on the longest possible path to the trophy. The red team demonstrated indomitable spirit, which is exactly what makes so many people love the club. In 2015 the team was expelled from the elite “A” group of the Bulgarian football because of financial obligations. The shadow of debt kept chasing CSKA in third division and soon speculations emerged that the team could get thrown out even from there. However, this did not happen and the red team started their participation in the Bulgarian Cup tournament from the regional qualifications, or in other words - from the lowest possible level. The heavy blow, dealt to a club with strong champion’s traditions, failed to break the wings of the Army Men and gave them even more motivation. Team and fans showed that CSKA just cannot be brought down to its knees and that love for football unites. The number of visitors to the matches of CSKA throughout the year often exceeded that of goers to matches of the A division. At the backdrop of chronic financial problems and with no foreigners in his team, coach Hristo Yanev brought the team to the top and he himself became the youngest coach, winner of the Bulgarian Cup.
In 2015 UEFA banned debt-ridden CSKA from participating in European competitions because of late payments. Thus winning the national cup does not give a green light to the team for participation in the Europa League. This way the red team have actually done a favour to their eternal rivals Levski, who will be able to start participating in the second qualifying round of the Europa League next season. The team of Beroe, who lost to CSKA in the semi-finals of the Bulgarian Cup Tournament, will be placed in the first qualifying round of the Europa League.
CSKA's triumph is a success for the whole of Bulgarian football because it shows that money is not the only important thing when it comes to the great game these days. Qualities such as selflessness, love for the team and desire for victory continue to bring people to the stadium and CSKA fans continue to be waiting for news about a possible return of the red team to the elite football division of this country.
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