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2013–14 A Group

2013–14 A Group

The 2013–14 A Group was the 90th season of the top division of the Bulgarian football league system, and 66th since a league format was adopted for the national competition of A Group as a top tier of the pyramid. The season started on 19 July 2013 with the opening game between Chernomorets and Cherno More; the season ended on 18 May 2014 with the last game between Ludogorets Razgrad and Cherno More.[8]

For the first time after twelve years the competition was divided into two phases - Regular season, with every team playing against every other team twice, and Playoffs, with teams divided into Championship group (top seven) and Relegation group (bottom seven) to determine the champions and the relegated teams, respectively.

Ludogorets Razgrad went into the season as two-time defending champions[9] and managed to retain the title for a third consecutive and overall time, after winning their match with Lokomotiv Plovdiv on 7 May two rounds before the end of the season.[10][11]

A Group
Season2013–14
ChampionsLudogorets Razgrad
(3rd title)
RelegatedLyubimets
Pirin Gotse Delchev
Neftochimic Burgas
Chernomorets Burgas
Champions LeagueLudogorets Razgrad
Europa LeagueLitex
CSKA Sofia
Botev Plovdiv
Matches played266
Goals scored712 (2.68 per match)
Top goalscorerColombiaWilmar Jordán
Martin Kamburov
(20 goals each)
Biggest home winCSKA Sofia 7-0 Lyubimets (Saturday, 14 December)[4]
Biggest away winPirin Gotse Delchev 0-6 Lokomotiv Plovdiv (Wednesday, 11 December)[5]
Highest scoringBotev Plovdiv 7-1 Pirin Gotse Delchev (Sunday, 28 July)[6]
Litex 6-2 Pirin Gotse Delchev (Saturday, 9 November)[7]
Longest winning runLudogorets Razgrad
Litex
CSKA Sofia
Beroe
(6 games)
Longest unbeaten runLudogorets Razgrad
(17 games)
Longest winless runLyubimets
(20 games)
Longest losing runLyubimets
(15 games)
2014–15 →

Competition format

Season 2013-14 has some changes in the tournament format compared to the previous season. For the first time since 2001–02 the championship is divided in two phases.

In the first phase, the Regular season, every team must play two times against each of the other teams on home-away basis for a subtotal of 26 matches.
In the second phase, the Play-offs, the teams are divided into Championship group (first seven) and Relegation group (bottom seven). In those two parallel played groups every team has to play two times, again on home-away basis, only against the remaining six teams in the group for a subtotal of 12 matches. Since there is an odd number of teams in each group (seven), each round of the Play-offs in a group consists only of three games between six teams, and the odd team does not play in the round. Hence, there are fourteen rounds in the second phase of the season, despite there being only twelve matches for each team of the two groups to play.

Thus, the season has a total of 40 rounds.

At the end of the season, the champion earns a place in the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds, while the next two or three clubs in the final standings of Bulgaria's A PFG league table (depending on the winner of the 2013–14 Bulgarian Cup) earn the right to play in UEFA's Europa League qualifying rounds. The last four teams in the table (from 11th to 14th place) are directly relegated to B Group for the next season while only two clubs from the lower division are promoted, effectively reducing the number of teams in A Group for the next season by two - making the Bulgarian top football division to consist of 12 teams as of season 2014–15.

Teams

A total of fourteen teams are contesting the league, including the best 12 sides from the previous 2012–13 season, plus two promoted clubs from the 2012–13 B Group.

As finishing in the bottom four places of the table at the end of season 2012–13, Botev Vratsa, Minyor Pernik, Montana and Etar 1924 were relegated to B Group and only two teams were promoted from B Group with the object of decreasing the number of teams from 16 to 14 only for the current season.

The relegated teams were replaced by Neftochimic Burgas, the 2012–13 B Group champions and Lyubimets 2007, the 2012–13 B Group runner-up. On 8 May 2013 Neftochimic earned promotion after winning their match against Shumen 2010 with result of 3:1 and returned to A Group after seven years of absence, and with their participation A Group will include the Burgas derby between them and Chernomorets. Lyubimets 2007 on the other hand made their debut in the highest level of Bulgarian football.

Stadia and locations

Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity (seating)
BeroeStara ZagoraBeroe12,128
BotevPlovdivHristo Botev18,000 (13 000)
Cherno MoreVarnaTicha8,250
ChernomoretsBurgasLazur18,037
CSKASofiaBalgarska Armiya22,015 (11 400)
LevskiSofiaGeorgi Asparuhov29,200 (19 000)
LitexLovechLovech8,100
LokomotivPlovdivLokomotiv10,000
LokomotivSofiaLokomotiv Sofia22,000 (6000)
LudogoretsRazgradLudogorets Arena6,000
Lyubimets 2007LyubimetsGradski4,000
NeftochimicBurgasNesebar7,000
PirinGotse DelchevGradski5,000
SlaviaSofiaOvcha Kupel15,992

Personnel and sponsoring

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

TeamManagerCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Beroe Stara ZagoraBulgariaPetar HubchevBulgariaGeorgi AndonovJomaBEROE
Botev PlovdivBulgariaStanimir StoilovBulgariaIvan TsvetkovUhlsportKTB AD
Cherno More VarnaBulgariaGeorgi IvanovBulgariaGeorgi IlievJomaArmeets
Chernomorets BurgasBulgariaDimitar DimitrovNorth MacedoniaVančo TrajanovSportika
CSKA SofiaBulgariaStoycho MladenovBulgariaValentin IlievLegea
Levski SofiaBulgariaElin TopuzakovBulgariaStanislav AngelovPumaM-tel
Litex LovechSerbiaMiodrag JešićBulgariaSimeon SlavchevadidasPrima
Lokomotiv PlovdivBulgariaAleksandar StankovBulgariaZdravko LazarovUhlsport
Lokomotiv SofiaBulgariaDimitar VasevBulgariaMarquinhosJomaCasa Boyana
Ludogorets RazgradBulgariaStoycho StoevBulgariaSvetoslav DyakovadidasNavibulgar
Lyubimets 2007BulgariaKrasimir MechevBulgariaAnton Ognyanovadidas
Neftochimic BurgasBulgariaZlatko YankovBulgariaStanislav ZhekovKrasiko
Pirin Gotse DelchevBulgariaKostadin AngelovBulgariaPetar LazarovErreà
Slavia SofiaBulgariaMilen RadukanovBulgariaGeorgi PetkovJoma

First phase

The first 26 Rounds comprise the first phase of the season, also called the Regular season. In the first phase, every team plays each other team twice on a home-away basis till all the teams have played two matches against each other. The table standings at the end of the Regular season determine the group in which each team is going to play in the Play-offs.

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Ludogorets Razgrad2618445714+4358Qualification for Championship group
2Litex Lovech2617635926+3357
3CSKA Sofia2615654414+3051
4Botev Plovdiv2613764521+2446
5Lokomotiv Plovdiv2614394331+1245
6Levski Sofia2613584524+2144
7Cherno More2612773121+1043
8Beroe2611693225+739Qualification for Relegation group
9Slavia Sofia2687113538−331[1]
10Lokomotiv Sofia2694133044−1431[1]
11Chernomorets Burgas2664163046−1622
12Lyubimets2653181866−4818
13Pirin Gotse Delchev2643192371−4815
14Neftochimic2633201566−5112

Results

Each team played against every other team for a total of 26 matches.

Home \ AwayBSZBOTCHMCHBCSKLEVLITLPLLSOLUDLYUNEFPGDSLA
Beroe1–00–01–11–11–02–33–00–10–15–02–02–12–1
Botev Plovdiv0–02–06–12–12–12–12–04–12–21–24–07–13–2
Cherno More1–11–02–02–12–11–21–02–23–12–02–12–10–0
Chernomorets Burgas1–30–21–01–21–30–00–12–10–25–02–35–02–2
CSKA Sofia1–00–00–03–03–01–00–05–00–27–04–02–03–0
Levski Sofia0–01–01–12–00–14–11–20–00–23–06–04–12–2
Litex Lovech3–00–02–13–10–01–12–14–00–02–14–16–21–1
Lokomotiv Plovdiv3–10–01–01–11–02–32–53–10–15–02–02–03–1
Lokomotiv Sofia1–03–20–22–11–11–00–21–21–21–05–02–00–1
Ludogorets Razgrad3–00–01–11–03–00–12–43–04–05–14–05–04–0
Lyubimets1–21–00–41–20–30–21–40–22–11–01–11–02–2
Neftochimic1–30–10–11–01–31–60–21–30–20–31–00–01–1
Pirin Gotse Delchev1–01–11–02–30–10–21–50–62–20–35–23–21–3
Slavia Sofia0–21–22–02–00–10–11–24–13–10–31–12–03–0

Round by round

Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526
Beroe (Stara Zagora)WDLDDLWLWLLWDWLWWDLWLDWLWW
Botev (Plovdiv)WWDLWWDWLWDWLLDWLWWWDDLDWW
Levski (Sofia)LLWDDDWLWWWDLWWWLWLWWWWDLL
Litex (Lovech)WWDWDWDDLWWWWWWLWLWWWDWWWD
Lokomotiv (Plovdiv)DWWLLWWLWLWWWWLLWLWWDWLWDL
Lokomotiv (Sofia)DLLWLDLWDLWDWWLWLLLLWLLWWL
Ludogorets (Razgrad)LWWWWWLWWWDWLWWWWWWDLWWDWD
Lyubimets 2007WLWWWLLLDLLLLLDLWLLLLDLLLL
Neftochimic (Burgas)LWWDLLLLLLLLDLDWLLLLLLLLLL
Pirin (Gotse Delchev)DLLLLLLLLWLLDLDLLWLLLLLWLW
Slavia (Sofia)LDLDWLWDDDLLLLWLWWLWLDWDLW
CSKA (Sofia)DDDLWDDWWWWWWLWLLWWLWDWWWW
Cherno More (Varna)LDDWDDWWDLWLWWLWLDWDWWWLLW
Chernomorets (Burgas)WLLLLWDWLDLLDLLLWLWLWLLLDL

Positions by round

Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526
Beroe (Stara Zagora)23778118119910899998888888888
Botev (Plovdiv)31144332223355656543357664
Levski (Sofia)10148910979866677545466643456
Litex (Lovech)12213213332211122222222222
Lokomotiv (Plovdiv)84355545455543463654435545
Lokomotiv (Sofia)6101210121213121212910888899910991010910
Ludogorets (Razgrad)116631121111122211111111111
Lyubimets 20074652245678891010101010111212121212121212
Neftochimic (Burgas)14546681213131313131313131213131313131313141414
Pirin (Gotse Delchev)611131414141414141414141414141414141414141414131313
Slavia (Sofia)131314131113101010101111121211111110109101099109
CSKA (Sofia)899127697544434334335564333
Cherno More (Varna)11121189764677766777777776777
Chernomorets (Burgas)4810111310118111112121111121312121111111111111111

Second phase

After the first 26 Rounds comprising the Regular season, the teams are divided into two groups of seven determined by their standings in the table at the end of the Regular season. The second phase is also referred to as the Play-offs. The teams in each group of the Play-offs again play on a home-away basis but only with the teams in their respective group. Hence, the total number of games each team has to play in this phase is 12 (twice with each of the other six teams in the group). Yet, since the number of teams in each group is odd (seven), each round of the second phase of the season consists of three games between six teams per group, and the odd team in the group does not play this round. Thus, there are 14 rounds in the Play-offs, despite there being only 12 matches a team has to play.

Championship group

The top seven teams at the end of the Regular season play in the Championship group to determine the champion for the season. Additionally, the teams in this group compete for the Bulgarian spots in UEFA's 2014-15 editions of Champions League and Europa League.

At the end of the Play-offs, the team placed first in the group can compete in the qualifying rounds of 2014–15 UEFA Champions League. The second and the third placed teams earn the right to compete in the qualifying rounds of 2014–15 UEFA Europa League. If the winner of the 2013–14 Bulgarian Cup is one of those top three teams, the fourth placed team in the group also earns a right to participate in the qualifying rounds of the Europa League.

Championship group
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Ludogorets Razgrad(C)3825947420+54842014–15 UEFA Champions League Second qualifying round
2CSKA Sofia3821985620+3672[2]2014–15 UEFA Europa League Second qualifying round
3Litex Lovech3821987437+3772[2]2014–15 UEFA Europa League First qualifying round
4Botev Plovdiv38181195732+2565
5Levski Sofia38195145939+2062
6Cherno More381412124033+754
7Lokomotiv Plovdiv38155184955−650
Results
Home \ AwayBOTCHMCSKLEVLITLPLLUD
Botev Plovdiv1–10–02–02–12–10–0
Cherno More0–10–01–21–12–01–1
CSKA Sofia2–02–01–02–01–10–1
Levski Sofia2–01–01–31–22–12–3
Litex Lovech3–00–00–10–13–00–0
Lokomotiv Plovdiv0–3[3]0–22–00–20–51–1
Ludogorets Razgrad1–13–11–02–03–01–0

Relegation group

The bottom seven teams at the end of the Regular season play in the Relegation group to determine which four teams are relegated to B PFG for next season.

At the end of the Play-offs, the bottom four teams of this group will be directly relegated.

Relegation Group
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsRelegation
8Beroe38217105829+2970
9Slavia Sofia38167155746+1155
10Lokomotiv Sofia38166164652−654
11Chernomorets Burgas(R)38135205662−644Relegation to 2014–15 B PFG
12Neftochimic(R)3874272692−6625
13Pirin Gotse Delchev(R)3864283591−5622
14Lyubimets(R)38632925104−7921
Results
Home \ AwayBSZCHBLSOLYUNEFPGDSLA
Beroe3–01–04–13–02–11–0
Chernomorets Burgas0–51–25–04–04–02–1
Lokomotiv Sofia0–01–11–23–01–02–0
Lyubimets0–40–40–21–21–21–2
Neftochimic1–02–30–23–12–10–3
Pirin Gotse Delchev1–21–21–25–00–00–2
Slavia Sofia0–11–02–04–05–12–0

Season statistics

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDate
SloveniaRoman Bezjak4LudogoretsLyubimets5–1 [34]27 October 2013
BulgariaMartin KamburovLokomotiv PlovdivLyubimets5–0 [35]29 September 2013
ColombiaWilmar JordánLitexLokomotiv Plovdiv2–5 [36]14 December 2013
BulgariaGeorgi AndonovBeroeLyubimets5–0 [37]1 March 2014
BulgariaGalin IvanovSlaviaNeftohimic5–1 [38]15 March 2014

4 Player scored 4 goals

Scoring

  • First goal of the season: Petar Atanasov for Chernomorets against Cherno More (Friday, 19 July 2013)

  • Fastest goal of the season: 27 seconds

Chris GadiforLokomotiv PlovdivagainstCSKA(Saturday, 26 October);[17]Ivan ValchanovforLyubimetsagainstPirin (Gotse Delchev)(Saturday, 23 November)[18]
  • Widest winning margin: 7 goals[19]

CSKA (Sofia) 7-0 Lyubimets (Saturday, 14 December)
  • Highest scoring game: 8 goals[20]

Botev (Plovdiv) 7-1 Pirin (GD) (Sunday, 28 July)Litex 6-2 Pirin (GD) (Saturday, 9 November)
  • Most goals scored in a match by a single team: 7 goals[21]

Botev (Plovdiv) 7-1 Pirin (GD) (Sunday, 28 July)CSKA (Sofia) 7-0 Lyubimets (Saturday, 14 December)

Clean sheets

Updated to games played on 18 May 2014

Awards

Weekly awards

Player of the Round

RoundPlayer of the Round
PlayerClub
Round 1BulgariaTodor NedelevBotev Plovdiv
Round 2BulgariaMartin KamburovLokomotiv Plovdiv
Round 3BulgariaNikolay ChipevNeftochimic Burgas
Round 4BulgariaIvan KaradzhovBeroe Stara Zagora
Round 5ColombiaWilmar JordánLitex Lovech
Round 6BrazilMarcelinhoLudogorets Razgrad
Round 7BulgariaGeorgi BozhilovCherno More Varna
Round 8MadagascarAnicet AbelBotev Plovdiv
Round 9BulgariaIvaylo ChochevCSKA Sofia
Round 10BulgariaIvaylo ChochevCSKA Sofia
Round 11BulgariaSimeon SlavchevLitex Lovech
Round 12BulgariaEmil GargorovCSKA Sofia
Round 13BulgariaEmil GargorovCSKA Sofia
Round 14FranceChris GadiLokomotiv Plovdiv
Round 15BulgariaSimeon SlavchevLitex Lovech
Round 16SloveniaRoman BezjakLudogorets Razgrad
Round 17BulgariaSimeon SlavchevLitex Lovech
Round 18BulgariaOrlin StarokinLevski Sofia
Round 19BulgariaMartin PetrovCSKA Sofia
Round 20ColombiaWilmar JordánLitex Lovech
Round 21BulgariaPlamen IlievLevski Sofia
Round 22GuineaLarsen ToureLevski Sofia
Round 23ColombiaWilmar JordánLitex Lovech
Round 24TunisiaHamza YounesBotev Plovdiv
Round 25BrazilTomLokomotiv Sofia
Round 26BulgariaEmil GargorovCSKA Sofia
Round 27BulgariaPlamen KrachunovCSKA Sofia
Round 28BulgariaGeorgi AndonovBeroe Stara Zagora
Round 29BulgariaMilcho AngelovChernomorets Burgas
Round 30BulgariaVladimir GadzhevLevski Sofia
Round 31TunisiaHamza YounesBotev Plovdiv
Round 32BeninOmar KossokoCSKA Sofia
Round 33BulgariaZdravko LazarovLokomotiv Plovdiv
Round 34BeninOmar KossokoCSKA Sofia
Round 35BulgariaEmil GargorovCSKA Sofia
Round 36NetherlandsJeroen LumuLudogorets Razgrad
Round 37BeninOmar KossokoCSKA Sofia
Round 38ColombiaWilmar JordánLitex Lovech
Round 39ColombiaSebastián HernándezLudogorets Razgrad
Round 40BulgariaValeri BojinovLevski Sofia

Transfers

  • List of Bulgarian football transfers summer 2013

  • List of Bulgarian football transfers winter 2013–14

References

[1]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgSLA 3–1 LSO ; LSO 0–1 SLA
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[2]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgCSK: 10pts; LIT: 1pt
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[3]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgThe game was stopped in the 42 minute due to excessive amount of pyrotechnics used by Lokomotiv Plovdiv's fans. The game was not resumed as the conditions on the pitch and escalating unrest of Lokomotiv supporters obstructed the continuation of the game in "playable conditions". The BFU penalised the club of Lokomotiv Plovdiv with a 3-0 defeat for the game, scorewise. "Канонадата от бомби, която прекрати битката за Пловдив". Sportal.BG. 19 Apr 2014. "Решение на СТК от 22.04.2014". BFU. 22 Apr 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-04-26. Retrieved 2014-04-23. "Решение на ДК от 22.04.2014". BFU. 22 Apr 2014.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[4]
Citation Linka-pfg.com"Мачове". A PFG (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian A Professional Football Group. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[5]
Citation Linka-pfg.com"Мачове". A PFG (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian A Professional Football Group. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
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[6]
Citation Linka-pfg.com"Мачове". A PFG (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian A Professional Football Group. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
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[7]
Citation Linka-pfg.com"Мачове". A PFG (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian A Professional Football Group. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[8]
Citation Linkwww.novsport.com"Официално: Всички клубове взеха лиценз, "А" група стартира на 20 юли с 14 тима". novsport.com. 2013-05-31.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[9]
Citation Linkwww.uefa.com"Ludogorets retain Bulgarian title". uefa.com. 2013-05-25.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[10]
Citation Linkasia.eurosport.com"Ludogorets win third successive Bulgarian title". eurosport. 2014-05-07.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[11]
Citation Linkwww.standartnews.com"Ludogorets breaks record by becoming BG champion for 3rd time". standardnews. 2014-05-08.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[12]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.org
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[13]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.org
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[14]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.org
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[15]
Citation Linka-pfg.com"Извеждане на голмайсторите в "А" Група". A PFG (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian A Professional Football Group. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[16]
Citation Linka-pfg.com"Извеждане на голмайсторите в "А" Група". A PFG (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian A Professional Football Group. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[17]
Citation Linka-pfg.com""Смърфовете" изритаха "червените" от тройка с "гол от съблекалнята"". A PFG (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian A Professional Football Group. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[18]
Citation Linka-pfg.com"Пирин (ГД) разгроми Любимец и взе втора победа в шампионата". A PFG (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian A Professional Football Group. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[19]
Citation Linka-pfg.com"Мачове". A PFG (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian A Professional Football Group. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM
[20]
Citation Linka-pfg.com"Мачове". A PFG (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian A Professional Football Group. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
Sep 26, 2019, 10:22 PM