2011–12 A Group

A Group
Season 2011–12
Champions Ludogorets Razgrad
(1st title)
Relegated Vidima-Rakovski, Kaliakra, Svetkavitsa
Champions League Ludogorets Razgrad
Europa League CSKA Sofia
Levski Sofia
Lokomotiv Plovdiv
Matches played 240
Goals scored 643 (2.68 per match)
Top goalscorer Junior Moraes
Ivan Stoyanov
(16 goals each)
Biggest home win Levski 7–0 Svetkavitsa
Biggest away win Minyor 0–7 Ludogorets
Highest scoring Cherno More 7–1 Kaliakra
Botev 6–2 Kaliakra
Litex 6–2 Lokomotiv

The 2011–12 A Group was the 88th season of the Bulgarian national top football division, and the 64th of A Group as the top tier football league in the country. The season began on 6 August 2011 and ended on 23 May 2012. Ludogorets Razgrad claimed their maiden title in their debut season, after winning the last round clash against CSKA, which were leading by 2 points prior to the match.[1] Vidima-Rakovski, Kaliakra and Svetkavitsa were relegated.

Team information

Akademik Sofia and Sliven were directly relegated after finishing in the bottom two places of the table at the end of season 2010/11. Akademik were relegated after one year in the top league of Bulgarian football, while Sliven ended a three-year tenure at the top flight. Furthermore, Pirin (Blagoevgrad) were excluded from A Group due to financial difficulties and demoted to V Group.

The relegated teams were replaced by Botev (Vratsa), champions of West B Group, Ludogorets Razgrad, champions of East B Group and promotion play-off winners Svetkavitsa. Botev returned to A Group after twenty-two years, while Ludogorets Razgrad and Svetkavitsa made their debut on the highest level of Bulgarian football.

There was some controversy regarding the relegation/promotion play-offs at the end of season 2010/11. In the original match-up, 14th-placed Vidima-Rakovski lost 3-0 against B Group play-off winners Chernomorets (Pomorie). However, Chernomorets did not receive an A Group licence, so Vidima-Rakovski were spared from relegation. In order to fill the void, a second play-off match was scheduled between Svetkavitsa, 4th-placed team of East B Group, and Etar (Veliko Tarnovo), 3rd-placed team of West B Group. Svetkavitsa won this match by a score of 3-1.

Stadia and locations

As in the previous year, the league comprises the best thirteen teams of season 2010/11, the champions of the two B Groups and the winners of the promotion play-offs.

Team Location Stadium Capacity
Beroe Stara Zagora Beroe 17,800
Botev Vratsa Hristo Botev 32,000
Cherno More Varna Ticha 8,250
Chernomorets Burgas Lazur 18,037
CSKA Sofia Balgarska Armiya 22,015
Kaliakra Kavarna Kavarna 5,000
Levski Sofia Georgi Asparuhov 29,200
Litex Lovech Lovech 7,050
Lokomotiv Plovdiv Lokomotiv 13,800
Lokomotiv Sofia Lokomotiv Sofia1 22,000
Ludogorets Razgrad Ludogorets Arena 6,000
Minyor Pernik Minyor 8,000
Montana Montana Ogosta 8,000
Slavia Sofia Ovcha Kupel 18,000
Svetkavitsa Targovishte Dimitar Burkov 8,000
Vidima-Rakovski Sevlievo Rakovski 8,816
Notes
  1. Lokomotiv Sofia play their home matches at Vasil Levski National Stadium as their own ground, Lokomotiv Stadium, had not received approval from the BFU license committee.

Personnel and sponsoring

Team Manager Captain Kit Manufacturer Shirt Sponsor
Beroe Stara Zagora Bulgaria Ilian Iliev Bulgaria Slavi Zhekov Uhlsport Bulsatcom
Botev Vratsa Bulgaria Sasho Angelov Bulgaria Rosen Vankov Jumper
Cherno More Varna Bulgaria Stefan Genov Bulgaria Georgi Iliev Misho Armeets
Chernomorets Burgas Bulgaria Dimitar Dimitrov Bulgaria Radostin Kishishev Macron
CSKA Sofia Bulgaria Dimitar Penev Bulgaria Todor Yanchev Kappa GLOBUL
Kaliakra Bulgaria Radostin Trifonov Bulgaria Ivan Raychev Uhlsport Municipality of Kavarna
Levski Sofia Bulgaria Nikolay Kostov Bulgaria Hristo Yovov Nike VTB Bank
Litex Lovech Bulgaria Atanas Dzhambazki Serbia Nebojša Jelenković adidas b-connect
Lokomotiv Plovdiv Bulgaria Emil Velev Bulgaria Zdravko Lazarov Uhlsport Refan
Lokomotiv Sofia Bulgaria Anton Velkov Bulgaria Kristian Dobrev Puma
Ludogorets Razgrad Bulgaria Ivaylo Petev Bulgaria Todor Kolev adidas Huvepharma
Minyor Pernik Bulgaria Stoycho Stoev Bulgaria Kostadin Markov Jumper Municipal Insurance Company
Montana Bulgaria Stefan Grozdanov Bulgaria Daniel Gadzhev Jako GM Capital
Slavia Sofia Bulgaria Martin Kushev Bulgaria Bogomil Dyakov Puma
Svetkavitsa Bulgaria Nikola Spasov Bulgaria Georgi Damyanov Jako Vinprom Targovishte
Vidima-Rakovski Bulgaria Kostadin Angelov Bulgaria Georgi Stoychev Asics VIDEXIM

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager(s) Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Replaced by Date of appointment
Levski Sofia Bulgaria Yasen Petrov End of contract 27 May 2011 Pre-season Bulgaria Georgi Ivanov 27 May 2011[2]
Slavia Sofia Bulgaria Emil Velev Sacked 28 May 2011 Bulgaria Martin Kushev 28 May 2011[3]
Kaliakra Kavarna Bulgaria Antoni Zdravkov End of contract 28 May 2011 Bulgaria Adalbert Zafirov 28 May 2011[4]
Chernomorets Burgas Bulgaria Georgi Vasilev Sacked 30 May 2011 Bulgaria Dimitar Dimitrov 30 May 2011[5]
Montana Bulgaria Atanas Dzhambazki End of contract 2 June 2011 Bulgaria Stefan Grozdanov 11 June 2011
Lokomotiv Plovdiv Serbia Saša Nikolić Sacked 14 June 2011 Republic of Macedonia Dragan Kanatlarovski 17 June 2011
Vidima-Rakovski Bulgaria Dimitar Todorov Sacked 16 June 2011 Bulgaria Kostadin Angelov 17 June 2011
Lokomotiv Sofia Bulgaria Dian Petkov Sacked 3 October 2011 10th Bulgaria Anton Velkov 3 October 2011
Kaliakra Kavarna Bulgaria Adalbert Zafirov Sacked 19 October 2011[6] 15th Bulgaria Radostin Trifonov 19 October 2011[7]
Svetkavitsa Targovishte Bulgaria Plamen Donev Resigned 19 October 2011 16th Bulgaria Nikola Spasov 23 October 2011[8]
Litex Lovech Bulgaria Lyuboslav Penev Resigned 24 October 2011[9] 5th Bulgaria Atanas Dzhambazki 24 October 2011
CSKA Sofia Bulgaria Milen Radukanov Sacked 25 October 2011[10] 2nd Bulgaria Dimitar Penev 25 October 2011
Levski Sofia Bulgaria Georgi Ivanov Resigned 4 November 2011 5th Bulgaria Nikolay Kostov 7 November 2011[11]
Lokomotiv Plovdiv Republic of Macedonia Dragan Kanatlarovski Sacked 7 November 2011 6th Bulgaria Emil Velev 8 November 2011[12]
Levski Sofia Bulgaria Nikolay Kostov Resigned 26 March 2012 4th Bulgaria Georgi Ivanov (caretaker) March 2012

Note: Georgi Ivanov subsequently stepped down and was replaced by Yasen Petrov as caretaker manager at the helm of Levski, with Ilian Iliev set to take over prior to the 2012/2013 season.

League table

Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
Head-to-head
1 Ludogorets Razgrad (C) 30 22 4 4 73 16+57 70 2012–13 UEFA Champions League Second qualifying round
2 CSKA Sofia 30 22 3 5 60 19+41 69 2012–13 UEFA Europa League Second qualifying round
3 Levski Sofia 30 20 2 8 61 28+33 62
4 Chernomorets Burgas 30 17 9 4 57 23+34 60
5 Litex Lovech 30 17 8 5 57 28+29 59
6 Lokomotiv Plovdiv 30 17 6 7 44 39+5 57 2012–13 UEFA Europa League Second qualifying round 1
7 Cherno More Varna 30 16 4 10 46 25+21 52
8 Slavia Sofia 30 15 6 9 42 36+6 51
9 Minyor Pernik 30 8 12 10 35 405 36
10 Beroe Stara Zagora 30 9 8 13 30 377 35
11 Montana 30 8 7 15 29 5122 31
12 Botev Vratsa 30 7 8 15 30 4414 29
13 Lokomotiv Sofia 30 5 9 16 26 5024 24
14 Vidima-Rakovski Sevlievo (R) 30 3 6 21 19 5940 15 Relegation to 2012–13 B PFG
15 Kaliakra Kavarna (R) 30 2 5 23 26 7751 11
16 Svetkavitsa (R) 30 1 5 24 8 7163 8

Updated to games played on 23 May 2012.
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd head-to-head points; 3rd head-to-head goal difference; 4th head-to-head goals scored; 5th head-to-head away goals scored; 6th goal difference; 7th goals scored
1Ludogorets Razgrad won the 2011–12 Bulgarian Cup competition but were qualified for 2012–13 UEFA Champions League via winning the league, hence their Europa League berth was awarded to the cup runners-up, Lokomotiv Plovdiv.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Results

Home ╲ Away BSZ BVR CHMCHBCSKKAVLEVLITLPLLSOLUDMINMONSLASVEVRA
Beroe Stara Zagora 12 20 12 01 31 12 11 11 10 12 00 20 10 20 10
Botev Vratsa 11 01 00 22 62 02 13 11 20 01 00 24 01 10 22
Cherno More Varna 20 10 02 00 71 31 01 12 30 01 20 20 20 10 21
Chernomorets Burgas 22 31 32 20 10 20 11 20 11 00 10 20 23 60 40
CSKA Sofia 10 20 41 10 31 10 41 30 40 22 31 20 12 30 41
Kaliakra Kavarna 31 00 05 04 12 14 02 12 00 04 22 23 12 11 32
Levski Sofia 20 30 21 22 10 32 32 32 40 01 01 10 10 70 21
Litex Lovech 21 31 10 00 02 50 10 62 20 21 22 00 10 60 30
Lokomotiv Plovdiv 42 21 10 20 03 20 32 21 21 10 11 10 21 20 32
Lokomotiv Sofia 30 01 00 04 12 32 11 12 20 01 11 11 032 41 01
Ludogorets Razgrad 30 30 02 31 10 20 21 11 00 40 41 30 60 50 40
Minyor Pernik 11 13 01 11 20 11 01 22 00 12 07 31 11 30 10
Montana 00 20 13 24 05 21 03 10 22 11 14 12 12 00 10
Slavia Sofia 00 32 11 11 01 30 03 02 30 21 32 21 11 20 11
Svetkavitsa 13 00 13 03 03 10 01 13 01 11 01 03 12 03 00
Vidima-Rakovski Sevlievo 01 01 00 01 01 10 16 11 03 22 05 03 12 12 10

Updated to games played on 23 May 2012.
Source: Soccerway
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
2 The match between Lokomotiv Sofia and Slavia Sofia was awarded to Slavia by a score of 3–0. The original fixture was not played after police security for the match could not be provided.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Champions

Ludogorets Razgrad
Goalkeepers
1Serbia Uroš Golubović 28 (0)
13Czech Republic Radek Petr 2 (0)
30Bulgaria Georgi Argilashki 0 (0)
Bulgaria Emil Mihaylov* 0 (0)
Defenders
3Slovakia Marián Jarabica 1 (0)
4Finland Tero Mäntylä 3 (0)
5France Alexandre Barthe 29 (3)
20Brazil Guilherme Choco 27 (1)
25Bulgaria Yordan Minev 28 (0)
26Bulgaria Diyan Dimitrov 0 (0)
33Slovakia Ľubomír Guldan 28 (0)
77Portugal Vitinha 10 (0)
Slovenia Jure Travner* 3 (0)
Bosnia and Herzegovina Suvad Grabus* 1 (0)
Midfielders
6Bulgaria Georgi Kostadinov 5 (2)
7Bulgaria Mihail Aleksandrov 28 (5)
8Bulgaria Stanislav Genchev 27 (6)
18Bulgaria Svetoslav Dyakov 29 (1)
19Bulgaria Dimo Bakalov 14 (2)
22Bulgaria Miroslav Ivanov 27 (4)
36Montenegro Mladen Kašćelan 11 (1)
84Brazil Marcelinho 25 (9)
Bulgaria Shener Remzi* 0 (0)
Bulgaria Dimo Atanasov* 6 (0)
Bulgaria Nikolay Dyulgerov* 2 (0)
Forwards
11Brazil Juninho Quixadá 11 (5)
23Bulgaria Emil Gargorov 26 (13)
27Belgium Christian Kabasele 11 (3)
73Bulgaria Ivan Stoyanov 25 (16)
Bulgaria Todor Kolev* 9 (1)
Manager
Bulgaria Ivaylo Petev

Season statistics

Top goalscorers

Below is a list of the top goalscorers at the end of the competition.[13]

Rank Scorer Club Goals
1 Brazil Júnior Moraes CSKA Sofia 16
Bulgaria Ivan Stoyanov Ludogorets Razgrad 16
3 Bulgaria Emil Gargorov Ludogorets Razgrad 13
Romania Ianis Zicu CSKA Sofia 13
5 Brazil Juninho Slavia Sofia / Levski Sofia 12
6 Bulgaria Svetoslav Todorov Litex Lovech 11
Bulgaria Ivan Tsvetkov Levski Sofia 11
Bulgaria Gerasim Zakov Kaliakra Kavarna 11
9 Brazil Lourival Assis Chernomorets Burgas 10
Morocco Aatif Chahechouhe Chernomorets Burgas 10
Bulgaria Georgi Iliev Cherno More Varna 10
Brazil Marcelo Nicácio Litex Lovech 10

Scoring

Transfers

References

  1. ""Лудогорец" победи ЦСКА с 1:0 и спечели титлата при дебюта си в А група" (in Bulgarian). dnevnik. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  2. "Георги Иванов-Гонзо е новият треньор на Левски" (in Bulgarian). btv.bg. 27 May 2011.
  3. "Кушев поема Славия" (in Bulgarian). bsport.bg. 28 May 2011.
  4. "Адалберт Зафиров пое Калиакра" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 28 May 2011.
  5. "Dimitar Dimitrov is the new head coach of Chernomorets". chernomoretz.bg. 30 May 2011.
  6. "Калиакра уволни Адалберт Зафиров" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 19 October 2011.
  7. "Стана ясен новият старши-треньор на Калиакра" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 19 October 2011.
  8. "Никола Спасов стана треньор на Светкавица" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 23 October 2011.
  9. "Любо Пенев напусна Литекс - "оранжевите" представиха новия треньор, изненадата е голяма" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 24 October 2011.
  10. "Официално: ЦСКА се раздели с Милен Радуканов" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 25 October 2011.
  11. "Официално: Николай Костов ще води Левски до края на сезона" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 4 November 2011.
  12. "Емил Велев е новият треньор на Локо Пд, помага му Ники Митов, тренировката е от 11 часа" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 8 November 2011.
  13. "Bulgaria - A PFG Top goalscorers". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  14. "Честито! 53 минути за първия гол от новия сезон в А група" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 6 August 2011.

External links

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