Levski Sofia used to be one of the biggest clubs in Bulgaria, but in recent months they are facing major difficulties.
Levski's owner Vasil Bozhkov has escaped to Dubai last February after he was charged with tax fraud, bribery, and organizing a crime group.
Bozhkov is one of Bulgaria's richest men, with an estimated fortune of $1.5 billion. He owns more than 30 companies in Bulgaria, especially casinos and gambling companies. After the Bulgarian authorities decided to charge him, Bozhkov escaped. It took a while until he was found in Dubai, living in exile. According to Bozhkov himself, he is supposed to be free because "no one from the Bulgarian prosecution office was even looking for him."
Vasil Bozhkov had a long relationship with the football world. He was CSKA Sofia’s owner from 1999 to 2006 before he became Levski's owner. The Bulgarian tax authorities claim that he has a €359 million debt, and therefore Bozhkov decided to announce in early May that he is leaving Levski Sofia for good.
There were doubts about the future of the club. Levski won 26 championships and 25 cups. It was the first Bulgarian club to play in the UEFA Champions League group stage, as well as reaching the quarterfinal stage in the continental competition on four occasions. When Ludogorets became the dominant team in Bulgaria, Levski Sofia was no longer part of winning titles in Bulgaria, as their last title was in 2009. They were closer than ever to dissolution.
Bozhkov eventually found a person that will handle his issues in Levski Sofia, Georgi Popov. One of Popov’s ideas is to offer the team for Levski's most known fan, Boyko Borisov. Perhaps it wasn't the smartest move to offer the team for Borisov, the current Bulgarian Primer Minister, when you are charged with tax issues. Borisov's spokesperson made a clear statement about it. "The way in which this thing is happening is insulting," was his comment.
On June 2, Levski Sofia announced that there is a new owner. The new owner is Nasko Sirakov, a former Levski Sofia player, who made 78 caps and scored 24 goals for the national team. Sirakov was part of Bulgaria's squad for the 1994 World Cup and even scored the late goal in the famous 2-0 win against Argentina.
Bulgarian football will be back to action, as Levski's first match will be against Ludogorets. As the new owner Sirakov asked the fans to be patient due to the team's current situation - he will have the challenge of helping his beloved club to get back to its glory days. It will be tough, and the struggles are imminent, but Levski Sofia fans feel that they might have a new beginning.
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Thumbnail photo by Levski Sofia official website
