By Alexander Krassimirov
August 6 – While one of Bulgaria’s leading clubs from Sofia, CSKA, is busy apologising for the behaviour of its fans at the weekend, the other, Levski Sofia, is busy signing a new major club sponsor for the coming season.
Vivacom has signed a one-year deal and although no figures have been released, they are expected to provide a large part of Levski’s budget, which this year was aggressively reduced to BGN 6.5 million (€ 3.25 million).
Vivacom’s logo will appear on all the club’s kit and replaces another telecommunications company Mtel who had been the club’s main sponsor for 15 years.
In June this year, longtime owner Todor Batkov resigned and transfer his shares to the Chairman of the Board of the club, Ivo Tonev, and two other businessmen, Alexander Angelov and Nikolai Ivanov.
The club is struggling for cash and is currently rebuilding the largest stand at the Georgi Asparuhov stadium at a cost of nearly BGN 14 million (€ 7 million). The construction has been suspended several times due to lack of money though is now expected to be completed in early October.
“We are honored that Vivacom became a partner of Levski in the implementation of our ambitious programme to pursue the top and bring back our position as the most popular and successful club in Bulgaria in the last decade. I hope that our partnership will raise the prestige of both sides so that we meet every target and task placed in front of us. I believe that success will be at the forefront of this partnership, “said Levski CFO Konstantin Bazhdekov.
CSKA issue apology
Meanwhile across town the management of CSKA made formal apologies to Israeli Ashdod FC after the incidents during the friendly game between the two teams at Bulgarska armia stadium in Bulgarian capital Sofia.
The match was abandonded after CSKA Ultras invaded the pitch and began to chase the Israeli players.
A statement to the media and aimed at the club’s fans read: “The management of PFC CSKA will not tolerate any form of racism and anti-Semitism during the matches of our team. We are all extremely grateful for the support from our fans.
The events from the game against Ashdod FC are unacceptable. It is true that the opponent played very hard, but that is no reason for players to be attacked or abused in a similar way. We all want CSKA to be an example – for rivals, fans and media. We will enforce behavior that everyone will strive to follow.
You – the supporters of our favorite team, have had been shown that you are 12th player even in the most severe battles. We have to play a lot of matches in V group, where the atmosphere will be no less hot. We need to win with football on the pitch and singing in the stands. Therefore we call on you to be true Reds, support the team and respect our opponents.
On behalf of our coaches, players and management, PFC CSKA apologises to FC Ashdod for what happened in the last minute of the game, but also urges them to pay attention to the sporting behavior of their players on the pitch.”
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