After nearly three years of waiting, CSKA fans will finally see their favorite team again at the "Bulgarian Army" stadium. Tonight, the "reds" host Slavia in a match from the 14th round of the efbet League, which will have a special meaning - the official opening of the completely renovated club facility.
The match starts at 19:30, and the main referee will be Radoslav Gidzhenov. The match will be broadcast live on DIEMA SPORT.
The return of CSKA to Borisova Gradina is a long-awaited moment for the army community. The last match at the old stadium took place on December 10, 2023, when the team lost to Ludogorets 0:1 after a goal by Spas Delev. Since then, the supporters have been eagerly awaiting the day when they will once again be able to support the team at its traditional home.
For the festive evening, the management has prepared a special program, which will start at 5:30 p.m. The interest in the event is huge - tickets were sold out in a matter of hours, and over 18,000 spectators are expected to be present in the stands. There will also be serious support in the away sector, with more than 500 Slavia fans traveling to support their team.
In addition to the emotion of the return of the “Army“, the hosts also have serious sporting arguments before the capital derby. The team led by Markus Gizdol is in excellent form and occupies the first place in the standings, one point ahead of Levski, who has a game less.
CSKA gained momentum after two important victories in the championship - 3:2 against CSKA 1948 and 2:0 over Ludogorets. In the European club tournaments, the team also showed that it can withstand serious rivals. Despite the 1:2 defeat by Monaco at the National Stadium, the “Reds“ left a good impression, and then reached a spectacular 2:2 draw in their visit to Nordsjaelland in Denmark.
Slavia arrives at Borisova Gradina under the leadership of Ratko Dostanic. The “Whites“ occupy the eighth position with an asset of 12 points, but are not in their best period. The team is without a win in its last four championship matches and will try to end the negative series on one of the most special nights for its rival.
Marcus Gizdol will not be able to rely on the injured Leo Pereira and Joel Zwartz. David Pastor, who was forced to be substituted in CSKA's previous match, also remains questionable.
In Slavia's camp, the main personnel shortage is related to Emil Stoev. The football player is suspended due to accumulated yellow cards and will not be available to Ratko Dostanic.
The first match between the two teams this season ended without goals – 0:0 at the “Alexander Shalamanov“ stadium in Ovcha Kupel. They will also face off again in December when they face each other in the Sesame Cup tournament of Bulgaria.
However, the result tonight will not be the only thing that will excite the supporters. For CSKA and its fans, the most important event is the return to the “Bulgarian Army“ stadium - a new home that combines a modern vision and the traditions of the club.