88th season of top-tier football league in Bulgaria
Football league season
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, after finishing at the bottom three places.
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 in 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 Vratsa returned to A Group after twenty-two years, while Ludogorets Razgrad and Svetkavitsa both 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, Pomorie 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.
Location of teams in 2011–12
A GroupSofia 2011–12
A Group football clubs
- Notes
- 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.[citation needed]
Personnel and sponsoring
Managerial changes
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
Source: A PFG (in Bulgarian)
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
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
Results
Source: A PFG (in Bulgarian)
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
- ^ The match between Lokomotiv Sofia and Slavia Sofia was awarded to Slavia by a score of 3–0.[citation needed] The original fixture was not played after police security for the match could not be provided.[citation needed]
Champions
- Ludogorets Razgrad
- Mihaylov, Travner, Grabus, Remzi, Atanasov, Dyulgerov and Kolev left the club during a season.
Season statistics
Top goalscorers
Below is a list of the top goalscorers at the end of the competition.[13]
Scoring
Transfers
References
- ^ ""Лудогорец" победи ЦСКА с 1:0 и спечели титлата при дебюта си в А група" (in Bulgarian). dnevnik. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ^ "Георги Иванов-Гонзо е новият треньор на Левски" (in Bulgarian). btv.bg. 27 May 2011.
- ^ "Кушев поема Славия" (in Bulgarian). bsport.bg. 28 May 2011. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
- ^ "Адалберт Зафиров пое Калиакра" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 28 May 2011.
- ^ "Dimitar Dimitrov is the new head coach of Chernomorets". chernomoretz.bg. 30 May 2011.
- ^ "Калиакра уволни Адалберт Зафиров" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 19 October 2011.
- ^ "Стана ясен новият старши-треньор на Калиакра" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 19 October 2011.
- ^ "Никола Спасов стана треньор на Светкавица" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 23 October 2011.
- ^ "Любо Пенев напусна Литекс - "оранжевите" представиха новия треньор, изненадата е голяма" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 24 October 2011.
- ^ "Официално: ЦСКА се раздели с Милен Радуканов" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 25 October 2011.
- ^ "Официално: Николай Костов ще води Левски до края на сезона" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 4 November 2011.
- ^ "Емил Велев е новият треньор на Локо Пд, помага му Ники Митов, тренировката е от 11 часа" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 8 November 2011.
- ^ "Bulgaria - A PFG Top goalscorers". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
- ^ "Честито! 53 минути за първия гол от новия сезон в А група" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 6 August 2011.
External links