2000–01 A Group

The 2000–01 A Group was the 53rd season of the A Football Group, the top Bulgarian professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1948.

A Group
Season2000–01
Dates4 August 2000 – 27 May 2001
ChampionsLevski Sofia
(22nd title)
RelegatedBotev Plovdiv, Minyor
Champions LeagueLevski
UEFA CupCSKA
Litex Lovech
Matches played182
Goals scored552 (3.03 per match)
Top goalscorerGeorgi Ivanov
(21 goals)

The league was contested by the top 12 teams from the 1999–2000 season as well as Cherno More Varna and Hebar Pazardzhik, who joined as the promoted clubs from the 1999–2000 B Group.

Defending champions Levski Sofia won their 22nd Bulgarian league title overall. Botev Plovdiv and Minyor Pernik were relegated at the end of the season by finishing in the last two places.

Teams

Fourteen teams competed in the league – the top twelve teams from the previous season and the two teams promoted from the B Group. The promoted teams were Cherno More Varna (returning to the top flight after a six-year absence) and Hebar Pazardzhik (returning after an eight-year absence). They replaced Dobrudzha Dobrich, Belasitsa Petrich, Pirin Blagoevgrad and Shumen.

Stadiums and Locations
Location of teams in 2000–01 A Group
Sofia 2000–01 A Group football clubs
Team Location Stadium Capacity
Beroe Stara Zagora Beroe 22,500
Botev Plovdiv Hristo Botev 22,000
Cherno More Varna Ticha 8,250
Chernomorets Burgas Chernomorets 22,000
CSKA Sofia Balgarska Armia 22,015
Hebar Pazardzhik Georgi Benkovski 13,128
Levski Sofia Georgi Asparuhov 29,200
Lovech Lovech Gradski 7,050
Lokomotiv Sofia Lokomotiv 22,000
Minyor Pernik Minyor 20,000
Neftochimic Burgas Lazur 18,037
Slavia Sofia Slavia 32,000
Spartak Varna Spartak 7,500
Velbazhd Kyustendil Osogovo 13,000

Personnel and kits
Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Beroe Bulgaria Tsvetomir Parvanov Bulgaria Germany Erima[1] AKSA[2]
Botev Plovdiv Bulgaria Georgi Lazarov Vitosha AD
Cherno More Bulgaria Bozhil Kolev Bulgaria Ventsislav Marinov Japan Asics VAI Holding
Chernomorets Bulgaria Nikolay Rusev Bulgaria Angel Stoykov
CSKA Sofia Italy Enrico Catuzzi Italy Lotto
Hebar Bulgaria Voyn Voynov
Levski Sofia Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Ljupko Petrović Bulgaria Stanimir Stoilov Italy Diadora Mobiltel
Lokomotiv Sofia Bulgaria Angel Kolev Germany Adidas Delta-G
Lovech Bulgaria Ferario Spasov Bulgaria Vitomir Vutov Japan Asics Litex Commerce
Minyor Bulgaria Ventsislav Arsov United States Nike
Neftochimic Bulgaria Dimitar Stoychev Bulgaria Veliyan Parushev Germany Puma Petrol AD
Slavia Sofia Bulgaria Kiril Kachamanov Bulgaria Veselin Vachev Germany Adidas Sofiyski Imoti
Spartak Varna Bulgaria Stefan Grozdanov
Velbazhd Bulgaria Dimitar Dimitrov Bulgaria Slavcho Pavlov United States Nike VIS-2

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Botev Plovdiv Bulgaria Dinko Dermendzhiev Mutual consent 1 June 2000 Pre-season Bulgaria Marin Bakalov 26 June 2000
Lovech Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Čedomir Đoinčević Sacked 10 June 2000 Pre-season Romania Mihai Stoichiță 1 July 2000
Levski Sofia Bulgaria Dimitar Dimitrov Sacked 15 June 2000[3] Pre-season Russia Vladimir Fedotov 7 July 2000[4]
CSKA Sofia Bulgaria Aleksandar Stankov End of caretaker tenure 23 June 2000 Pre-season Italy Enrico Catuzzi 24 June 2000[5]
Beroe Bulgaria Ventsislav Kepov Mutual consent June 2000 Pre-season Bulgaria Nikola Ivanov June 2000
Slavia Bulgaria Miroslav Mironov Mutual consent June 2000 Pre-season Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Žarko Olarević June 2000
Cherno More Bulgaria Radoslav Zdravkov Mutual consent June 2000 Pre-season Bulgaria Bozhil Kolev June 2000
Velbazhd Bulgaria Dimitar Sokolov Mutual consent 26 June 2000 Pre-season Bulgaria Dimitar Dimitrov 26 June 2000[6]
Neftochimic Bulgaria Dimitar Stoychev Mutual consent 30 June 2000 Pre-season Italy Salvatore Polverino 1 July 2000[7]
Neftochimic Italy Salvatore Polverino Sacked 6 August 2000 13th Bulgaria Dimitar Stoychev 6 August 2000
Beroe Bulgaria Nikola Ivanov Sacked 14 August 2000 12th Bulgaria Petko Petkov 14 August 2000
Lokomotiv Sofia Bulgaria Pavel Panov Sacked 29 August 2000 8th Bulgaria Radoslav Zdravkov 29 August 2000[8]
Levski Sofia Russia Vladimir Fedotov Sacked 30 August 2000[9] 2nd Bulgaria Nasko Sirakov (caretaker) 30 August 2000
Levski Sofia Bulgaria Nasko Sirakov End of caretaker tenure 2 October 2000 1st Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Ljupko Petrović 2 October 2000
Lovech Romania Mihai Stoichiță Sacked 21 October 2000 6th Bulgaria Ferario Spasov 21 October 2000[10]
Slavia Sofia Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Žarko Olarević Mutual consent 27 November 2000 10th Bulgaria Kiril Kachamanov 27 November 2000[11]
CSKA Sofia Italy Enrico Catuzzi Mutual consent 19 December 2000 2nd Bulgaria Aleksandar Stankov 20 December 2000
CSKA Sofia Bulgaria Aleksandar Stankov Mutual consent 3 March 2001 2nd Italy Enrico Catuzzi 4 March 2001
Beroe Bulgaria Petko Petkov Sacked 20 March 2001  ? Bulgaria Tsvetomir Parvanov 20 March 2001
Lokomotiv Sofia Bulgaria Radoslav Zdravkov Sacked 29 April 2001  ? Bulgaria Angel Kolev 29 April 2001

League standings
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Levski Sofia (C) 26 22 3 1 63 13 +50 69 Qualification for Champions League first qualifying round
2 CSKA Sofia 26 19 5 2 65 16 +49 62 Qualification for UEFA Cup qualifying round
3 Velbazhd Kyustendil 26 18 3 5 48 29 +19 57 Relegation to V Group
4 Lovech 26 17 4 5 70 23 +47 55 Qualification for UEFA Cup qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
5 Neftochimic Burgas 26 12 6 8 47 34 +13 42
6 Slavia Sofia 26 10 5 11 35 35 0 35
7 Spartak Varna 26 10 4 12 38 40 −2 34 Qualification for Intertoto Cup first round
8 Lokomotiv Sofia 26 9 6 11 37 37 0 33
9 Hebar Pazardzhik 26 7 5 14 38 55 −17 26 Relegation to V Group
10 Cherno More 26 7 5 14 20 49 −29 26
11 Chernomorets Burgas 26 6 4 16 22 48 −26 22
12 Beroe (O) 26 6 4 16 21 47 −26 22 Qualification for relegation play-off
13 Botev Plovdiv (R) 26 6 2 18 28 55 −27 20 Relegation to 2001–02 B Group
14 Minyor Pernik (R) 26 3 4 19 19 71 −52 13
Source: A PFG (in Bulgarian) and rsssf.com
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 season goal difference; 7th season goals scored; 8th "sportsmanship" (R & Y cards); 9th draw
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Lovech won the 2000–01 Bulgarian Cup and qualified for the 2001–02 UEFA Cup qualifying round of the UEFA Cup.

Results
Home \ Away BSZ BOT CHB CHM CSK HEB LEV LSO LOV MIN NEF SLA SPV VEL
Beroe 3–1 1–0 1–0 0–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–2 0–0 2–0 1–2 1–2 1–2
Botev Plovdiv 1–0 2–1 1–0 0–1 3–1 1–4 0–1 1–1 3–0 1–2 2–1 2–3 1–4
Chernomorets Burgas 2–0 0–0 0–1 0–1 1–1 1–1 1–0 0–2 3–0 1–1 1–3 1–0 1–2
Cherno More 1–2 3–2 3–0 1–4 2–1 0–3 2–2 3–2 1–0 0–0 1–0 0–0 1–3
CSKA Sofia 5–0 3–0 4–0 1–0 9–2 1–1 3–0 0–0 3–0 4–0 1–0 2–0 2–0
Hebar Pazardzhik 3–0 3–0 5–1 2–0 2–4 0–1 2–2 1–4 3–0 2–2 3–0 2–1 1–3
Levski Sofia 3–0 3–0 4–0 6–0 2–1 4–1 1–0 2–1 4–0 3–0 2–1 2–1 2–0
Lokomotiv Sofia 3–2 3–2 0–1 3–0 1–4 3–1 0–2 2–2 6–1 1–1 3–0 3–0 0–0
Lovech 4–0 6–0 3–0 5–0 4–1 2–0 3–4 2–0 4–1 2–0 6–1 4–0 5–0
Minyor Pernik 2–0 4–3 2–0 1–1 1–4 1–1 0–4[lower-alpha 1] 0–1 1–4 1–4 0–3 1–2 0–0
Neftochimic Burgas 4–1 2–1 3–1 4–0 0–3[lower-alpha 2] 5–0 0–1 1–0 3–0 3–0 2–2 2–5 5–0
Slavia Sofia 1–1 1–0 1–2 3–0 0–2 2–0 0–0 3–1 0–0 7–1 0–0 3–2 0–2
Spartak Varna 4–1 1–0 4–3 0–0 1–1 2–1 0–1 1–1 1–2 4–0 1–2 2–0 0–3
Velbazhd Kyustendil 2–0 4–1 4–1 3–0 1–1 2–0 2–1 3–1 1–0 3–2 2–1 0–1 2–1
Source: A PFG (in Bulgarian)
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
  1. Match awarded after was abandoned at 0-1 in 65th minute due to home fans throwing stones following a second sending off
  2. Match awarded (originally finished 1–3).

Relegation play-off
Beroe Stara Zagora1–0Pirin Blagoevgrad
Zhelev 73'
Attendance: 2,000

Champions
Levski Sofia
Goalkeepers
01Bulgaria Dimitar Ivankov250(5)
12Bulgaria Georgi Sheytanov010(0)
30Bulgaria Vihren Uzunov010(0)
Defenders
02Bulgaria Martin Stankov180(0)
03Bulgaria Stanimir Stoilov150(2)
05Bulgaria Georgi Markov220(0)
06Bulgaria Zahari Sirakov170(2)
11Bulgaria Elin Topuzakov220(3)
14Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Miroslav Savić080(0)
15Uzbekistan Aleksey Dionisiev070(0)
22Bulgaria Ilian Stoyanov200(1)
23Bosnia and Herzegovina Dalibor Dragić160(2)
Bulgaria Predrag Pažin*060(0)
Ukraine Oleksandr Koval*030(0)
Midfielders
04Bulgaria Biser Ivanov220(0)
10Bulgaria Asen Nikolov070(0)
16Bulgaria Chavdar Atanasov150(2)
17Russia Konstantin Golovskoy040(0)
19Bulgaria Svetoslav Barkanichkov040(0)
20Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Neško Milovanović050(0)
21Bulgaria Dimitar Telkiyski150(5)
25Bulgaria Yordan Terziev090(0)
26Bulgaria Viktorio Pavlov010(0)
28Russia Vladislav Radimov030(1)
Bulgaria Aleksandar Aleksandrov*070(1)
Ukraine Eduard Tsykhmeystruk*120(1)
Russia Konstantin Kaynov*020(0)
Forwards
07Brazil Rogério Gaúcho080(0)
08Bulgaria Georgi Bachev110(2)
09Bulgaria Georgi Ivanov24(21)
18Bulgaria Krum Bibishkov020(1)
24Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Miodrag Pantelić120(1)
29Bulgaria Dimitar Makriev010(0)
99Bulgaria Petar Mihtarski110(4)
Uzbekistan Georgi Georgiev*040(3)
Manager
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Ljupko Petrović
  • Pažin, Koval, Aleksandrov, Tsykhmeystruk, Kaynov and Georgiev left the club during a season.

Top scorers
Rank Scorer Club Goals
1 Bulgaria Georgi Ivanov Levski Sofia 22
2 Bulgaria Hristo Yovov Lovech 17
3 Bulgaria Stefan Yurukov Lovech 14
4 Bulgaria Vladimir Manchev CSKA Sofia 13
Bulgaria Valentin Stanchev Spartak Varna
Serbia and Montenegro Zoran Janković Lovech
7 Bulgaria Hristo Yanev CSKA Sofia 12
8 Bulgaria Martin Kushev Slavia Sofia 11
Bulgaria Boyko Velichkov Velbazhd Kyustendil
10 Bulgaria Ivan Tonchev Beroe Stara Zagora 9

References
  1. "„Берое в елита": 2000-2001 г. – Бараж" (in Bulgarian). beroe.bg.
  2. "Турски спонсор пое "Берое"" (in Bulgarian). capital.bg. 15 September 2000.
  3. "Димитър Димитров – Херо напуска Левски" (in Bulgarian). news.bg. 15 June 2000.
  4. "Циркът на Герена е с традиции" (in Bulgarian). bgfootball.com. 12 April 2012. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  5. "Енрико Катуци подписва с ЦСКА за 1 година" (in Bulgarian). segabg.com. 23 June 2000.
  6. "Димитър Димитров поема Велбъжд в понеделник" (in Bulgarian). segabg.com. 22 June 2000.
  7. "Българо-италианската връзка в Нефтохимик не сработи" (in Bulgarian). capital.bg. 21 July 2000.
  8. "Ради Здравков е новия треньор на Локомотив (Сф)" (in Bulgarian). news.bg. 29 August 2000.
  9. "Уволниха протежето на Чорни от Левски" (in Bulgarian). segabg.com. 31 August 2000.
  10. "Цената на треньорските авантюри на Гриша Ганчев" (in Bulgarian). capital.bg. 20 October 2000.
  11. "Славия избра най-лесния вариант за нов старши треньор" (in Bulgarian). capital.bg. 24 November 2000.
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