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2020–21 Second Professional Football League (Bulgaria)

The 2020–21 Second League was the 65th season of the Second League, the second tier of the Bulgarian football league system, and the 5th season under this name and current league structure. It was delayed by two weeks due to the COVID-19 situation in Bulgaria,[1][2] which saw footballers from a number of the participating teams testing positive for COVID-19 in July 2020,[3] with Minyor Pernik especially affected.[4] The season began in August 2020.[5]

The first game of the season was played on 7 August 2020, between Hebar and Pirin Blagoevgrad, ending in a draw.

On 28 September 2020, Vitosha Bistritsa was excluded from the league, after the club announced on the same day that they will withdraw from the competition due to financial problems. The club also announced that they will fold their senior team, only remaining active at youth level.[6] Following Vitosha's expulsion from the league, the BFU announced that it would annul all of Vitosha's results from the start of the league until 28 September.

The season started with spectators being allowed (albeit at a reduced stadium capacity), but on 27 October 2020, following a worsening of the epidemiological situation in Bulgaria, Minister of Health Kostadin Angelov issued a decree valid from 29 October until 12 November, stipulating that all matches are to be held behind closed doors.[7] On 12 November 2020, the ban regarding the presence of spectators was extended at least until 30 November.[8] Fans were once again allowed from 24 April 2021 onwards, at 30% stadium capacity, with a maximum of 1000 people per stand.[9]

On 7 December 2020, the match between Ludogorets II and Neftochimic was abandoned early in the first half with the score 2:0 in favour of the hosts after a Neftochimic player sustained an injury, reducing his side to 6 men. The guests had started the match with 7 players due to a wage-related boycott from the senior footballers and a ban on players under the age of 18 participating in sports events because of the coronavirus.[10] Ludogorets II were eventually awarded a 5:0 win.[11]

After the first half of the season ended in December, Kariana Erden announced that the team would withdraw from the league, for personal reasons related to its owners. Kariana's results would not be annulled, though, as per the BFU rules, teams that withdraw from the league during, or after the winter break will not have their results annulled.[12]

On 23 April 2021, Pirin Blagoevgrad were promoted to the First League after a 2–0 away win against Litex Lovech.[13]

Teams

The following teams have changed division since the 2019–20 season.

Note: Dunav Ruse, who were relegated from the First League, failed to obtain a professional license from the Bulgarian Football Union with the team instead entering the Northeast group of the Third Football League. As a result, the Second League will consist of only 17 teams with no replacement team for Dunav's vacated spot.[14]

Stadia and locations

2020–21 Second Professional Football League (Bulgaria) is located in Bulgaria
Sofia
Sofia
Sofia teams : Lokomotiv Septemvri
Sofia teams :
Lokomotiv
Septemvri
Dobrudzha
Hebar
Kariana
Litex
Lokomotiv GO
Ludogorets II
Minyor
Neftochimic
Pirin
Septemvri Simitli
Sozopol
Sportist
Strumska Slava
Vitosha
Yantra
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Location of teams in 2020–21 Second League

Personnel and sponsorship

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Note: Individual clubs may wear jerseys with advertising. However, only one sponsorship is permitted per jersey for official tournaments organised by UEFA in addition to that of the kit manufacturer (exceptions are made for non-profit organisations). Clubs in the domestic league can have more than one sponsorship per jersey which can feature on the front of the shirt, incorporated with the main sponsor or in place of it; or on the back, either below the squad number or on the collar area. Shorts also have space available for advertisement.

Managerial changes

League table

Source: bulgarian-football.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Head-to-head away goals scored (only if two teams); 6) Goal difference; 7) Goals scored; 8) Fairplay ranking; 9) Draw.[21]
(C) Champions; (D) Disqualified; (P) Promoted; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Kariana were excluded from the league on 19 January 2021, due to the team voluntarily retiring their senior team in light of financial problems. All remaining fixtures involving Kariana will be awarded as a 3:0 victory for the opposing team.
  2. ^ Vitosha Bistritsa were excluded from the league on 28 September 2020, due to the team voluntarily retiring their senior team in light of financial problems. All remaining fixtures involving Vitosha were cancelled.


Results

Source: bulgarian-football.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Positions by round

Updated to match(es) played on 16 May 2021. Source: bulgarian-football.com

Transfers

References

  1. ^ "Официално: Отложиха старта на efbet Лига". nova.bg. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Решения след заседанието на Изпълнителния комитет на БФС". Bulgarian Football Union. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Пет играчи с коронавирус в отбор от Втора лига, спряха тренировки". plovdivskinovini.bg. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Миньор ще поиска отлагане на старта във Втора лига?". news.bg (in Bulgarian). 14 July 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Сезонът във Втора лига стартира на 8 август". bnr.bg (in Bulgarian). 14 July 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  6. ^ Krastev, Todor (28 September 2020). "Витоша (Бистрица) закрива мъжкия отбор и напуска Втора лига!". topsport.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Затвориха стадионите в България до 12 ноември! Публика само на Sofia Open". sportal.bg. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Без публика по стадионите до 30 ноември!". livetv.sx (citing sportal.bg). 12 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  9. ^ "От утре, 24 април, се възобновява провеждането на присъствени групови занятия в езикови, образователни и други обучителни центрове и школи" (in Bulgarian). mh.government.bg. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  10. ^ "7 на терена и прекратен мач след бойкот на футболистите на "Нефтохимик"". btvnovinite.bg. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  11. ^ "Решение СТК 19.01.2021". Bulgarian Football Union. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Лидерът на Втора лига обяви защо напуска първенството". sportal.bg. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  13. ^ topsport.bg (2021-04-23). "Пирин отново е част от елита на България!". Topsport.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2021-04-23.
  14. ^ "Втора лига остана с отбор по-малко - Дунав отива в Трета лига". sportlive.bg (in Bulgarian). 4 August 2020.
  15. ^ "Спортист Своге се раздели със старши треньора Георги Станков". dsport.bg (in Bulgarian). 15 August 2020.
  16. ^ "Ръководството на Септември Симитли освободи треньорския състав". simitli.info (in Bulgarian). 21 September 2020.[permanent dead link]
  17. ^ "Тодор Киселичков поема Септември Симитли". simitli.info (in Bulgarian). 21 September 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2020-10-05.
  18. ^ "Христо Янев смени Юрий Васев начело на Миньор". minyor-pernik.bg (in Bulgarian). 1 October 2020.
  19. ^ "Нефтохимик уволни Викторио Павлов". topsport.bg (in Bulgarian). 2 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  20. ^ "Мъжкият отбор на Янтра е с нов треньор". fcyantra.bg (in Bulgarian). 7 October 2020.
  21. ^ "Second League - Season Rules". Scoresway. Retrieved 14 June 2018.