home      service centre   |   publications   |   football family   |   competitions   

Petrov back for Bulgaria friendly

© Reuters Limited 2001

SOFIA, July 31 (Reuters) - Celtic midfielder Stilian Petrov, who suffered a badly broken leg in March, has been named in Bulgaria's squad for their home friendly against Macedonia on August 15.

Petrov, 22, suffered a double fracture to his right leg during a Scottish premier league game against St Johnstone, an injury which was originally feared could keep him out for nine months.

"The fact that I have called him means that everything is ok with him and he will be able to play," local news agency BTA quoted Bulgaria coach Stoicho Mladenov as saying on Tuesday.

Mladenov named 10 other foreign-based players in his squad, including team captain Krassimir Balakov from Germany's Stuttgart and strikers Svetoslav Todorov from West Ham United and Martin Petrov from Wolfsburg.

The remaining members of the 18-strong squad, who play in the domestic championship, will be named after August 8.

The friendly is part of Bulgaria's preparations for the World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Denmark in September and the Czech Republic in October.

Bulgaria lie third on 14 points from seven games in European qualifying group three. Denmark top the group with 15 points followed by the Czech Republic with 14 points.

Kaiserslautern's Marian Hristov and Radostin Kishishev from Charlton Athletic will miss the friendly and the qualifiers after undergoing ankle operations.

Squad:
Goalkeeper: Zdravko Zdravkov (Istanbulspor)
Defenders: Predrag Pazhin (Kocaelispor), Rossen Kirilov (Adanaspor), Krassimir Chomakov (Lecce)
Midfielders: Krassimir Balakov (Stuttgart), Stilian Petrov (Celtic), Georgi Peev (Dinamo Kiev), Milen Petkov (AEK Athens), Stoicho Stoilov (Nuremberg)
Forwards: Svetoslav Todorov (West Ham United), Martin Petrov (Wolfsburg).

Reports provided by

Thursday, 2 August
Chile recall Salas to World Cup squad
UAE fight back to draw 2-2 with Iraq
Latin American Round-up
McCarthy names initial squad of 39 for Croatia game
Argentina leave Batistuta out for World Cup qualifier
China adopt doppelganger approach for World Cup qualifier
Burkina players slated by governing body over bonus row
Wednesday, 1 August
Jamaica's Boyd in bust-up with linesman
Kahn overwhelming choice as German player of year
Argentine association need millions to stop player strike
Rehhagel offered Greece national team job
Okay, it was a ridiculous haircut, admits Charlton
Romania coach Hagi recalls brother-in-law
Tuesday, 31 July
Ronaldo return delayed as a "precaution"
Brazil's Big Phil facing moment of truth
Leonardo returns for Brazil but Romario is dropped
Petrov back for Bulgaria friendly
African soccer digest
Ghana to re-build for African Nations Cup finals
Little to celebrate as Copa America ends
Coach Shaibu rewarded with permanent Nigerian deal
Monday, 30 July
Coach Shaibu rewarded with permanent Nigerian deal
Colombians celebrate soccer win with flags, flour
Sunday, 29 July
Honduras spring another surprise at Copa America
Mali given thumbs up for African Nations Cup venues
Saturday, 28 July
"We'll win Copa America" - Colombia's Pastrana
Ghana police to blame for soccer deaths
Nigeria v Ghana World Cup match is sold out
Ghana in Nigeria without key players for World Cup game

  Copyright © 1994-2001 FIFA. All rights reserved.
  Copyright © 1994-2001 En-Linea, Inc. All rights reserved.