Bulgaria’s Ludogorets wins third consecutive title
Ludogorets Razgrad were crowned Bulgaria’s football champions after winning 1-0 against Lokomotiv Plovdiv late on May 7. Unlike last season, when the title went down to the last day, this time Ludogorets has wrapped up the title with two matches to spare.
The club could also win its second domestic double, having advanced to the Bulgarian Cup final, where it will play Botev Plovdiv on May 15.
This is the fifth season in a row Ludogorets tops its division, also wining back-to-back promotion as champions in 2010 and 2011. It is also the first title won under coach Stoycho Stoev, who replaced Ivaylo Petev at the start of the season.
Stoev succeeded where his predecessor fell short, guiding Ludogorets to an impressive run in the Europa League, where Ludogorets was undefeated in the group stage and beat Lazio in the first knock-out round before losing to Valencia in the quarterfinals.
Ludogorets owner Kiril Domouschiev, whose investment propelled the team to the top of the domestic game, said that the club would offer Stoev a new contract and would target participation in the Uefa Champions League group stage next season.
If the team accomplishes this goal, it would become only the second Bulgarian club to do so, after Levski Sofia’s sole participation in the 2007/08, when it lost all matches and scored only one goal after being drawn into a group that featured Chelsea, Barcelona and Werder Bremen.
(Ludogorets’ players celebrate winning the club’s third title in as many seasons on May 7. Photo: Ludogorets PFC via Facebook)