Latest Photo from Bulgaria

Bulgarian midfield player Krassimir Balakov of the German soccer club VfB Stuttgart and his teammate Fredi Bobic stretch during a practice session in the Olympic stadium in Stockholm May 11. Balakov hit a journalist in the face after an arguement during the flight from Stuttgart to Stockholm where Stuttgart will play in the UEFA Cup Winners Cup final against FC Chelsea May 13.Joachim Loew, coach of German soccer club VfB Stuttgart gestures while talking to Bulgarian midfield player Krassimir Balakov (R) during a practice session in the Olympic stadium in Stockholm May 11.

Bulgarian coach Hristo Bonev on Monday named a provisional 26-man squad for the World Cup finals in France. Goalkeepers: Zdravko Zdravkov (Istanbulspor), Borislav Mihailov (Slavia Sofia), Radostin Stanev (CSKA Sofia). Defenders: Trifon Ivanov (CSKA Sofia), Radostin Kishishev (Bursaspor), Petar Hubchev (Eintracht Frankfurt), Adalbert Zafirov (Arminia Bielefeld), Gosho Ginchev (Antalyaspor), Ivailo Petkov (Litex Lovech), Milen Petkov (CSKA Sofia). Midfielders: Zlatko Yankov (Besiktas), Krassimir Balakov (VfB Stuttgart), Anatoli Nankov (Lokomotiv Sofia), Ivailo Yordanov (Sporting Lisbon), Ilian Iliev (Bursaspor), Daniel Borimirov (TSV 1860 Munich), Kostadin Vidolov (Bursaspor), Stoicho Stoilov (Litex Lovech), Ilia Gruev (Neftochimik Bourgas). Forwards: Hristo Stoichkov (CSKA Sofia), Emil Kostadinov (CSKA Sofia), Lyuboslav Penev (Compostela) Marian Hristov (Kaiserslautern), Svetoslav Todorov (Litex Lovech), Georgi Bachev (Slavia Sofia), Georgi Ivanov (Levski Sofia).

From Reuters: Surprise Bulgarian league leaders Litex (Lovetch) were dealt a major blow on Tuesday when national soccer chiefs docked them two points and threw them out of the Bulgarian Cup semifinals. The decision by the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) followed a ruling by FIFA last week that Litex had no right to field defender Radostin Kishishev after he had been suspended by the world governing body on April 10. FIFA cited irregularities in Kishishev's transfer to Litex from the Turkish side Bursaspor and said Litex had to forfeit the games in which he had played for the Bulgarian club since his suspension. Litex have drawn two championship games with Kishishev in the side -- against FC Levski (Sofia) and Levski (Kjustendil). The two points gained from those games have now been deducted, with Levski Sofia and Levski Kyustendil each awarded a victory worth three points.

Vladimir Jonkov from FC Levski (Sofia) (L) scoring the first goal for his team, is followed by Georgi Alexandrov (R) from Lokomotiv (Sofia) during the second leg of their Bulgarian cup soccer semifinal match in Sofia May 6. FC Levski (Sofia) won 3:2 (1:2) and will face CSKA in the final on May 13, since Litex were disqualified from their Bulgarian Cup semifinal against CSKA Sofia because Kishishev had helped the provincial club win the first leg 3-1. The return leg had been due to take place last Wednesday.

Istanbulspor's goalkeeper Zdravko Zdravkov can't keep Galatasaray's Hakan Suker from scoring.

Ex Levski Sofia striker Marian Hristov is the first Bulgarian to win the German Bundesliga title. Kaiserslautern sealed a historic German first division title in style with a 4-0 demolition of lowly VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday. The south-western side delighted the 38,000 fans packing their Betzenberg stadium with an impressive display of attacking football to make sure of becoming the first promoted club to win the title since the Bundesliga started in 1963.

(i) Bulgarian striker Hristo Stoitchkov warms-up during practice for the Bulgarian soccer team in Sofia April 21. Bulgaria won 2:1 (1:0) against Morocco. The goals for Bulgaria were scored by Lubo Penev and Stoilov. Stoitchkov did not play due to injury. (ii) Bulgaria's striker Ilian Iliev is upended as he fights for the ball with Jamal Sellami and Salaheddine Bassir.

April news #2 and April news #1.

March news #4, March news #3, March news #2 and March news #1.

January & February news; November and December news.

Old news: October news and yet more October (A), October (B) and October (C) news.

Older news: [May 1997], [June-July 1997], [August 1997], [September 1997].

Bulgarian Football News from Meridian Match.

Acknowledgement: Most of the infomation (along with the pictures) is from the Bulgarian Press (Meridian Match, 24 hours, etc.).