Bulgarian Superliga 2013/2014

A short update for the ones betting or merely following the league. Konstantin Mitev played for Arda versus Neftochimik last weekend. His presence didn't help them much, but they probably wouldn't make it to a decider without him. It turned out his trial period with Aris didn't go as expected, so all the information I have is that he is staying in Bulgaria for the time being.

Levski's starting setter Georgi Manchev needs to undergo a surgery due to torn cruciate ligaments. He will be absent for at least four more months. The young Denimir Dimitrov did a really good job against CSKA, helping Levski get the 3-1 win. It was the first win for Levski after a series of lost tie-breaks, it was a moral win that could perhaps give them some confidence. However, expect everything from them.

Krasimir Georgiev returned on court after he was absent against Marek. Even with him CSKA couldn't handle Levski. In these derby games, however, the favourite doesn't always win, as you know.

9th round:

13-December

Slavia - CSKA 0-3 (12-25, 18-25, 9-25) stats
Neftochimik 2010 - Dunav 3-1 (28-30, 25-13, 25-19, 25-17) stats
Pirin - Arda 3-2 (25-27, 25-21, 21-25, 25-17, 15-8 ) stats
Montana - Levski Ball 3-1 (26-24, 25-19, 22-25, 25-19) stats

14-December

Coco Volley Club Gabrovo - Dobrudzha 07 3-1 (20-25, 25-10, 25-20, 25-12) stats

15-December

Botev (Lukovit) - Marek Union-Ivkoni 0-3 (17-25, 18-25, 23-25) stats

Standings:

1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni 26
2 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo 22
3 - Montana 19
4 - Neftochimik 2010 16
5 - CSKA 16
6 - Levski Ball 15
7 - Dobrudzha 07 13
8 - Pirin 11
9 - Slavia 10
10-Arda 8
11-Botev (Lukovit) 6
12-Dunav 0

10th round:

19-December

Slavia - Botev (Lukovit) 2-3 (21-25, 19-25, 25-19, 25-22, 12-15) stats

20-December

Arda - Levski Ball 3-0 (28-26, 25-22, 25-15) stats
CSKA - Montana 1-3 (25-21, 21-25, 19-25, 24-26) stats

21-December

Dunav - Pirin 0-3 (20-25, 19-25, 15-25) stats
Doburdzha 07 - Neftochimik 2010 2-3 (25-15, 27-29, 33-31, 22-25, 11-15) stats

Standings:

1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (-1) 26
2 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo (-1) 22
3 - Montana 22
4 - Neftochimik 2010 18
5 - CSKA 16
6 - Levski Ball 15
7 - Pirin 14
8 - Dobrudzha 07 14
9 - Arda 11
10-Slavia 11
11-Botev (Lukovit) 8
12-Dunav 0

Some transfer news in the Bulgarian league. The information might also help the ones betting.

As a consequence of the weak series, Dunav, the last team in the standings, got the second setter of Slavia, Vladislav Stoyanov. He is way beyond competitive age and sports form to play professional volleyball, don't know what the management board of Dunav are thinking. The only thing he can bring along is his experience.

After letting Anton Vasiliev play in Finland and due to the health problems of Velizar Kyossev, used as a temporary replacement, CSKA signed Slavia's libero Martin Ivanov.

There is also a third player who left Slavia. The opposite Alexander Gorbatkov joined Iranian's Saipa (Karaj). There he will play with Konstantin Mitev from Arda, who, after weeks of being here and there (failed trial period by Aris Thessaloniki), is now surely heading to the Middle East.

Nikolay Naydenov, former NT setter, is joining Coco Volley Club Gabrovo as playing assistant coach.

Martin Paliyski, middle blocker, has been released from Gabrovo and is returning to his original junior club Pirin Razlog. Stoyan Vuldzhev, OH, has also left Gabrovo and has joined the French Amien Metropole Volley.

At the end of December Marek's OH Zlatan Yordanov also moved to France and was introduced to the first-division team St. Nazaire.

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With all these moves one thing becomes more or less certain - Slavia is going to suffer. Konstantin Mitev is no longer available, so, as I warned earlier this season, Arda might appear shaky at times as well.

Quote from alex002

Yavor is Stoyan Vuldzhev any good?

My straight answer is probably no. He is still a young man, 24 if I am not mistaken, OH, but has never impressed me much. Main strength is reception, nothing spectacular in terms of attack. He has always been mainly used as a substitution in Gabrovo. One of the reasons for the move is the Bulgarian head coach of Amien Radoslav Arsov, who wanted to work with him in the next several months. I think they didn't buy him, he will be there on a loan. There are better and even younger OHs in the league, the transfer is a bit strange to me, I wouldn't expect much.

11th round:

10-January

Neftochimik 2010 - Marek Union-Ivkoni 0-3 (33-35, 19-25, 22-25) stats
Montana - Arda 3-1 (25-22, 27-25, 21-25, 25-19) stats
Pirin - Dobrudzha 07 2-3 (17-25, 25-23, 23-25, 25-14, 14-16) stats

11-January

Coco Volley Club Gabrovo - Slavia 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-16) stats
Botev (Lukovit) - CSKA 2-3 (25-17, 20-25, 25-16, 15-25, 18-20) stats
Levski Ball - Dunav 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-16) stats

Standings:

1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (-1) 29
2 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo (-1) 25
3 - Montana 25
4 - CSKA 18
5 - Neftochimik 2010 18
6 - Levski Ball 18
7 - Dobrudzha 07 16
8 - Pirin 15
9 - Arda 11
10-Slavia 11
11-Botev (Lukovit) 9
12-Dunav 0

Thanks, rugby, for the support! I will provide links to the stats.

Neftochimik vs. Slavia stats
Montana vs. Dunav stats
CSKA vs. Arda stats
Levski vs. Dobrudzha stats
Pirin vs. Marek stats
CVC vs. Botev stats

Standings:

1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (-1) 32
2 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo (-1) 28
3 - Montana 28
4 - Neftochimik 2010 21
5 - Levski Ball 21
6 - CSKA 20
7 - Dobrudzha 07 16
8 - Pirin 15
9 - Arda 12
10-Slavia 11
11-Botev (Lukovit) 9
12-Dunav 0

As already stated in the transfer news section, Inoslav Krnic signed with Levski and made his debut in an impressive straight-set win against Dobrudzha.

13th round:

24-January

Slavia - Pirin 0-3 (21-25, 19-25, 24-26) stats
Marek Union-Ivkoni - Levski Ball 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-18 ) stats

25-January

Dunav - Arda 1-3 (25-17, 16-25, 19-25, 21-25) stats
Coco Volley Club Gabrovo - CSKA 3-2 (25-18, 16-25, 20-25, 25-23, 15-9) stats
Botev (Lukovit) - Neftochimik 2010 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-22) stats
Dobrudzha 07 - Montana 3-1 (25-18, 28-30, 25-22, 25-23) stats

Standings:

1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (-1) 35
2 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo (-1) 30
3 - Montana 28
4 - Neftochimik 2010 21
5 - CSKA 21
6 - Levski Ball 21
7 - Dobrudzha 07 19
8 - Pirin 18
9 - Arda 15
10-Botev (Lukovit) 12
11-Slavia 11
12-Dunav 0

14th round:

28-January

Arda - Dobrudzha 07 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-21)

29-January

Neftochimik 2010 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo 0-3 (24-26, 19-25, 26-28 ) stats
Pirin - Botev (Lukovit) 3-0 (25-12, 26-24, 25-18 ) stats
Levski Ball - Slavia 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-17) stats
Montana - Marek Union-Ivkoni 0-3 (15-25, 21-25, 19-25) stats
CSKA - Dunav 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-13) stats

Standings:

1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (-1) 38
2 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo (-1) 33
3 - Montana 28
4 - CSKA 24
5 - Levski Ball 24
6 - Neftochimik 2010 21
7 - Pirin 21
8 - Dobrudzha 07 19
9 - Arda 18
10-Botev (Lukovit) 12
11-Slavia 11
12-Dunav 0

15th round:

01-February

Coco Volley Club Gabrovo - Pirin 3-1 (26-28, 34-32, 25-19, 25-20) stats
Slavia - Montana 0-3 (15-25, 22-25, 22-25) stats
Marek Union-Ivkoni - Arda 3-1 (25-22, 23-25, 25-19, 25-23) stats
Neftochimik 2010 - CSKA 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-15) stats
Botev (Lukovit) - Levski Ball 0-3 (19-25, 19-25, 20-25) stats
Dobrudzha 07 - Dunav 3-0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-17) stats

Standings:

1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (-1) 41
2 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo (-1) 36
3 - Montana 31
4 - Levski Ball 27
5 - Neftochimik 2010 24
6 - CSKA 24
7 - Dobrudzha 07 22
8 - Pirin 21
9 - Arda 18
10-Botev (Lukovit) 12
11-Slavia 11
12-Dunav 0

16th round:

07-February

CSKA - Dobrudzha 07 3-1 (27-29, 25-17, 25-19, 25-23) stats
Pirin - Neftochimik 2010 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-22) stats
Montana - Botev (Lukovit) 3-1 (25-19, 25-17, 22-25, 25-22) stats

08-February

Dunav - Marek Union-Ivkoni 0-3 (12-25, 24-26, 15-25)
Arda - Slavia 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-14) stats
Levski Ball - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo 3-0 (25-12, 25-23, 25-22) stats

Standings:

1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (-1) 44
2 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo (-1) 36
3 - Montana 34
4 - Levski Ball 30
5 - CSKA 27
6 - Neftochimik 2010 24
7 - Pirin 24
8 - Dobrudzha 07 22
9 - Arda 21
10-Botev (Lukovit) 12
11-Slavia 11
12-Dunav 0

Though not immaculate, the impact of Inoslav Krnic and Alex Simeonov after joining Levski has been visible. Levski is now on the fourth position and together with Montana have a series of important games to come in the battle for the third spot in the regular season. Gabrovo have been underperforming in 2014, several unconvincing games in a row and the chase with Marek is over. We all know their main problem is the head coach Gerasimov. To me, the lack-lustre comes from Burgas where Neftochimik only showed teeth against CSKA and won in straight sets. They have always had difficulties playing in Razlog, another win for Pirin, this time in three sets. Despite my darker predictions, Arda is still kicking and got some points recently, but the ninth place is the maximum they could possibly achieve.

17th round:

14-February

Dunav - Slavia 3-2 (25-22, 20-25, 25-21, 16-25, 15-9)
Pirin - CSKA 3-0* (25-0, 25-0, 25-0)
Neftochimik 2010 - Levski Ball 0-3 (13-25, 19-25, 12-25) stats
Coco Volley Club Gabrovo - Montana 3-1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-22, 25-22) stats
Marek Union-Ivkoni - Dobrudzha 07 3-1 (19-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-19) stats

15-February

Botev (Lukovit) - Arda 1-3 (10-25, 13-25, 25-20, 22-25) stats

Standings:

1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (-1) 47
2 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo (-1) 39
3 - Montana 34
4 - Levski Ball 33
5 - CSKA 27
6 - Pirin 27
7 - Neftochimik 2010 24
8 - Arda 24
9 - Dobrudzha 07 22
10-Botev (Lukovit) 12
11-Slavia 12
12-Dunav 2

An emotional round in the league. The only easy win came from Burgas, where Neftochimik were utterly disappointing. They have been underperforming since January, their collapse continues. It's been ages since the audience had to last leave the hall before the game had even finished. I don't know what is wrong in the team, I was a child when I last remember them so fragile. Neftochimik undoubteldy get the biggest thumb down right now. Also, Arda with surprisingly easy three points in Lukovit. Botev had a series of nice games, I was sure they would fight more against Arda, which normally have problems playing away from home, but this time they proved me wrong and even made it to the top 8. However, my prediction is that they are not going to hold this position long enough, they have difficult games approaching, whereas Dobrudzha should retain the lost position. Of course, this would be valid unless Neftochimik suck even more and blow it even out of the playoff positions.

The emotional round has been defined so due to the game in Razlog. In the third set at 17-13 for the home side (tied at 1-1) Alexander Popov, the head coach of CSKA, took the team out of the field, infuriated by a wrong referee's decision. I couldn't watch the game or the situation, everyone says it was clearly a point for CSKA, visible even on the TV. However, angry about the situation, CSKA left the field and refused to re-enter three times, the necessary amount of tries required by the league regulations. The same regulations state that CSKA should lose the set by a score equal to their current number of points (13), thus forming a set score of 25-13 for Pirin. The remaining sets are assigned 25-0 respectively. There is still no official confirmation of the official game score, but it is 99% Pirin get all three points, regardless of assigning a forfeit 3-0 or leaving it 3-1.

Pirin closed the gap to CSKA with this "win". Levski continued the chase with Montana and are one of the pleasant teams to watch in the league. At the bottom, Dunav with their first win and points for the ranking.