2019–20 Bulgarian Cup Explained

Bulgarian Cup
Year:2019–20
Other Title:Купа на България
Country:Bulgaria
Num Teams:46
Champions:Lokomotiv Plovdiv
Count:2
Runner-Up:CSKA Sofia
Matches:47
Goals:131
Attendance:50784
Top Goal Scorer: Dimitar Iliev
Eray Karadayi
(5 goals each)
Prevseason:2018–19
Nextseason:2020–21
Updated:1 July 2020

The 2019−20 Bulgarian Cup was the 38th official edition of the Bulgarian annual football knockout tournament. The competition began on 4 September 2019 with the preliminary round and finished with the final on 1 July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria.[1] Lokomotiv Plovdiv successfully defended the cup by winning on penalties against CSKA Sofia and qualified for the first qualifying round of the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League.

Participating clubs

The following 46 teams qualified for the competition:[2]

2019–20 First League
14 clubs
2019–20 Second League
16 non-reserve clubs
Winners of 4 regional competitions
16 clubs
Arda Kardzhali
Beroe Stara Zagora
Botev Plovdiv
Botev Vratsa
CSKA Sofia
Cherno More Varna
Dunav Ruse
Etar Veliko Tarnovo
Levski Sofia
Lokomotiv Plovdiv
Ludogorets Razgrad
Slavia Sofia
Tsarsko Selo Sofia
Vitosha Bistritsa
Botev Galabovo
Chernomorets Balchik
CSKA 1948 Sofia
Hebar Pazardzhik
Kariana Erden
Litex Lovech
Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa
Lokomotiv Sofia
Montana
Neftochimic Burgas
Pirin Blagoevgrad
Pomorie
Septemvri Sofia
Spartak Pleven
Spartak Varna
Strumska Slava Radomir
from North-East zone:

from North-West zone:

from South-West zone:

from South-East zone:

Matches

Preliminary round

The draw was conducted on 23 August 2019.[3] The games will be played between 4 and 6 September 2019.[4] [5] In this stage participated 15 winners from the regional amateur competitions and 14 non-reserve teams from Second League. During the draw, Botev Ihtiman received a bye to the first round.

Round of 32

The draw was conducted on 23 August 2019. The games will be played between 24 and 26 September 2019.[6] In this stage participated the 15 winners from the first round, as well as the 14 teams from First League, the two best-placed teams from Second League (Septemvri Sofia and Montana), and the winner of the Cup of Bulgarian Amateur Football League (Balkan Botevgrad).

Round of 16

The draw was conducted on 2 October 2019.[7] Originally the games were scheduled for the period between 29 and 31 October 2019.[8] Due to the second round of the local elections in Bulgaria and the inability of the police to provide adequate security, those games were rescheduled for the period between 3 and 5 December 2019.[9] [10] In this stage the participants will be the 16 winners from the first round.

Quarter-finals

The draw was conducted on 10 December 2019.[11] The games will be played on 3, 4 and 5 March 2020.[12] In this stage the participants are the 8 winners from the Round of 16.

Semi-finals

The draw was conducted on 10 March 2020.[13] The first legs should have been played between 7 and 9 April, while the second legs were scheduled for the dates between 21 and 23 April 2020. On 13 March 2020, the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) suspended all games in Bulgaria until 13 April due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.[14] On 6 April 2020 the BFU extended the match postponement until 13 May 2020.[15] On 15 May 2020 the BFU declared its preparedness to resume the competition after the loosening of the state of emergency, related to the pandemic.[16] After consulting the four semi-finalists it was decided to stage the semi-finals in two legs as originally planned. On 21 May the BFU scheduled the first legs of the semi-finals to be played on 9 and 10 June.[17] On 15 June the BFU scheduled the second legs for 23 and 24 June.[18] Both legs were held in stadiums with reduced capacities due to health regulations. For the first legs stadiums were allowed to host spectators up to 30% of their total capacity, as per regulation issued by the Ministry of Health on 2 June.[19] For the second legs stadiums were allowed to host spectators up to 50% of their total capacity, but no more than 1,000 spectators per block, as per regulation issued by the Ministry of Health on 23 June.[20]

Second legs

Final

See main article: 2020 Bulgarian Cup final. The final took place at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia on 1 July 2020.[21] On 27 June the Bulgarian Football Union announced that it is allowed for the stadium to host up to 30% of its total capacity (i.e. 12,000 spectators) with up to 3,000 spectators per block in accordance with the health regulations issued by the Ministry of Health.[22]

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1align=left Dimitar Ilievalign=left Lokomotiv Plovdiv5
Eray KaradayiBotev Galabovo
3align=left Denislav Aleksandrovalign=left CSKA 1948 Sofia4
align=left Mavis Tchibotaalign=left Ludogorets Razgrad
5sixteen players2

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Календар сезон 2019/2020 . . 23 August 2019 . bg . 3 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200703011343/https://bfunion.bg/uploads/calendar.2019-2020.v2.pdf . dead .
  2. Web site: Bulgarian Cup 2019–20 - Final Phase . bulgarian-football.com . 23 August 2019.
  3. Web site: Отборите в елита разбраха евентуалните си първи съперници за Купата. bg. dsport.bg. 23 August 2019 . 23 August 2019.
  4. Web site: Решение СТК 27.08.2019. bg. bfunion.bg. 31 August 2019.
  5. Web site: Решение СТК 29.08.2019. bg. bfunion.bg. 31 August 2019.
  6. Web site: Решение СТК 11.09.2019. bg. bfunion.bg. 12 September 2019.
  7. Web site: Коварен жребий за Левски и ЦСКА за Купата. bg. dsport.bg. 2 October 2019 . 2 October 2019.
  8. Web site: Решение СТК 04.10.2019. bg. bfunion.bg. 4 October 2019.
  9. Web site: Решение СТК 17.10.2019. bg. bfunion.bg. 17 October 2019.
  10. Web site: Решение СТК 31.10.2019. bg. bfunion.bg. 31 October 2019.
  11. Web site: Левски посреща Лудогорец, а ЦСКА - Ботев Враца за Купата на България . bg. dsport.bg. 10 December 2018.
  12. Web site: Решение СТК 15.01.2020. bg. bfunion.bg. 15 January 2020.
  13. Web site: Жребият за Купата размина Левски и ЦСКА. bg. dsport.bg. 10 March 2020 . 11 March 2020.
  14. Web site: БФС преустановява временно първенствата в Първа и Втора лига. Bulgarian Football Union. 13 March 2020.
  15. Web site: Решения след срещата на Експертната група към БФС. Bulgarian Football Union. 6 April 2020.
  16. Web site: Решения след заседанието на Изпълнителния комитет на БФС. Bulgarian Football Union. 15 May 2020.
  17. Web site: Съобщение. Bulgarian Football Union. 21 May 2020.
  18. Web site: Съобщение. Bulgarian Football Union. 15 June 2020.
  19. Web site: От 5 юни се разрешава провеждането на първенството за първа и втора професионална футболна лига пред публика. Ministry of Heath of Republic of Bulgaria. 2 June 2020.
  20. Web site: От утре, 23 юни, носенето на предпазна маска или друго средство е задължително на всички закрити обществени места. Ministry of Heath of Republic of Bulgaria. 23 June 2020.
  21. Web site: Купа на България 2019/20. bg. Bulgarian-football.com. 10 March 2020.
  22. Web site: Решения след работната среща между ръководството на БФС и държавните власти . Bulgarian Football Union. 27 June 2020.