The upcoming clash between CSKA and Ludogorets tonight brings with it not only a huge charge, but also a curious historical context. The reason is that after 11 rounds in the championship three teams continue without a loss – CSKA, Ludogorets and Levski.
A look at the statistics shows that so far in the history of the Bulgarian championships there have never been three undefeated teams at this stage of the season. Thus, the battle for the title takes on unique dimensions, and today's match may turn out to be the first important step towards unraveling the intrigue.
The derby between CSKA and Ludogorets starts at 19:30 and will be broadcast on DIEMA SPORT.
So far, there have been only six seasons in which two teams have been undefeated after the 11th round. The last such case was in the 2023/24 campaign, when Cherno More and Lokomotiv Plovdiv impressed with an excellent start.
The curious thing then was that neither team managed to reach the title. In the end, Ludogorets became the champion again, winning its 14th consecutive title. That season also came to a curious situation. While CSKA and Levski finished 1:1 in the Eternal Derby on October 7, 2023, at the “Ticha“ stadium, Cherno more and Lokomotiv Plovdiv also drew – 2:2 in a direct clash between the first and second in the standings. At that time, Plovdiv led by a point ahead of the “sailors“.
The other case in which the two undefeated teams were not CSKA and Levski was in the 2010/11 season. Then, Litex and Chernomorets were undefeated after 11 rounds, and at the end of the campaign, it was the Lovcen team that triumphed with the championship title.
In the remaining four cases, at least one or both of the greats of Bulgarian football were invariably present among the undefeated - CSKA and Levski. Today, however, the story is different, and the battle between the three leading teams promises one of the most interesting championship seasons in recent years.