CSKA defeated Levski 3–0 in the Eternal Derby and moved to the top of the First League standings. Max Ebong and Ioannis Pittas gave the „Reds“ a first-half lead, while Jean-Philippe Gbamin completed the final score after the break. The victory handed Levski their first league defeat of the season.
CSKA now have 34 points from 14 matches, while Levski remain on 32 points from 13 games. Thus, the „Blues“ lost top spot but still have a game in hand over their rivals.
Velázquez: We did not deserve this result
Levski coach Julio Velázquez apologized to the supporters but said the result did not fully reflect what had happened on the pitch.
The Spanish coach pointed to the mistakes leading to the first two goals as the main reason for the defeat. According to him, Levski still held on to hope of getting back into the match, but the third goal made the task even more difficult. „If you want to go head-to-head with a strong team like CSKA, you must not concede stupid goals,“ the coach added.
Levski executive director Daniel Borimirov also highlighted the mistakes and the lack of sufficient aggression. „I have not seen our team make so many mistakes in a long time,“ he said, adding that restoring confidence was Julio Velázquez's task. Owner Atanas Bostandzhiev thanked the fans and said that the championship was only just beginning.
Gisdol: This is only the beginning
Markus Gisdol was pleased with CSKA's performance in his first derby against Levski. The German coach admitted that the hosts had started better, but in his view CSKA gradually imposed their style and controlled the match.
„We played a great match. Levski were better in the first 10 minutes, but then we found our game. We dealt with things perfectly, especially in the second half, and controlled the match,“ Gisdol said.The coach thanked the medical staff for helping the players recover after the away trip to Panathinaikos, as well as the supporters who backed the team in Sofia and Athens. „We took the first steps toward building the foundation, but this is only the beginning,“ he said.
Defender Teodor Ivanov, who provided the assist for the first goal, described the victory as deserved. „We were better in the finishing phase. We fought harder and deservedly won,“ the footballer said.
What comes next for the two teams
After the international break, Levski will host Lokomotiv Sofia on November 22. CSKA will continue their schedule with a home match against Trabzonspor on November 26 in the Conference League.
Source: bntnews.bg