CSKA II (Bulgarian: ЦСКА II) is a Bulgarian football team based in Sofia. Founded in 2016, it is the reserve team of CSKA Sofia, and played one season in the Second League, the second level of Bulgarian football in 2016-2017 and being restored in 2022 to play in the Third League.

PFC CSKA Sofia II
Full nameProfessional Football Club CSKA Sofia II
Nickname(s)The Reds
The Armymen
Short nameCSKA II
Founded1948; 76 years ago (1948)
GroundCSKA Sofia Sports Complex, Pancharevo
Capacity1,500
ShareholdersNational Fund for Sports, Culture, Art and Science
Hristo Stoichkov
ManagerVladimir Manchev
LeagueSecond League
2023–24Third League, 2nd
WebsiteClub website

They ought to play at least one level below their main side, however, so CSKA II was ineligible for promotion to the First League and could not play in the Bulgarian Cup.

History

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In June 2016 CSKA II took the place of Litex Lovech II in the Bulgarian Second League. The team was selected by CSKA and Litex youth players. After Stamen Belchev took charge of the first team CSKA II's results worsened, and the team was relegated to South-West Third League on the final day of the season following a 1–2 away defeat by Vitosha Bistritsa.[1] On 5 June 2017, the owners officially informed the Bulgarian Football Union that the team will not participate in the 2017–18 South-West Third League as the level was deemed too low for youth players' development.[2] On 6 June 2017, the contract of the head coach Svetoslav Todorov was terminated.[3]

In end of May 2022, CSKA announced that they will restore its second team and will join Third League for the 2022/23 season.[4]

From the 2024/2025 season, CSKA II will play in the second tier of Bulgarian football.

Squad

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As of 6 July 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   BUL Georgi Gerginov
2 DF   BUL Yoan Lozanov
3 DF   BUL Dimitar Nikolov
4 DF   BUL Aleksandar Ganchev
5 DF   BUL Rosen Marinov
6 DF   BUL Martin Sotirov
7 FW   BUL Yulian Gilov
9 FW   BUL Pavel Zhabov
10 MF   BUL Kiril Georgiev
11 FW   BUL Aleksandar Kozhuharov
12 DF   BUL Iliyan Dimitrov
14 FW   BUL Anton Tolev
15 MF   BUL Dimitar Petrov
16 MF   BUL Bozhidar Petrov
17 DF   BUL Simeon Chatov
18 MF   BUL Teodor Apostolov
20 MF   BUL Rumen Rangelov
21 DF   BUL Aleksandar Buchkov
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 FW   BUL Radoslav Zhivkov
23 DF   BUL Dimitar Hristov
24 DF   BUL Iliyan Yordanov
30 GK   BUL Martin Stanchev
GK   BUL Stanislav Tanev
DF   BUL Lachezar Ivanov
DF   BUL Svetozar Evtov
MF   BUL Nasko Tsekov
MF   BUL Petko Panayotov
MF   BUL Alesandro Nikolov
MF   BUL Yulian Iliev (captain)
MF   BUL Georgi Chorbadzhiyski
MF   BUL Ilian Antonov
MF   BUL Ventsislav Ivanov
FW   BUL Roberto Shtiliyanov
FW   BUL Vasil Kaymakanov
FW   BUL Slavi Zarkov

For recent transfers, see Transfers summer 2024.

For first team players, see CSKA Sofia.

Honours

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Bulgarian V Group:
  • Champions (1): 1982-83

Manager history

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Dates Name Honours
1981–1984   Kiril Stankov 1 Bulgarian V Group
2016   Stamen Belchev
2016   Ivaylo Stanev /caretaker/
2017   Svetoslav Todorov
2022–2024   Stamen Belchev
2024   Stoyan Angelov
2024–   Vladimir Manchev

Past seasons

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Season League Place W D L GF GA Pts
1981–82 Sofia V Group (III) 7 15 9 10 51 36 39
1982–83 Sofia V Group (III) 1 23 7 4 76 26 53
1983–84 South B Group (II) 17 8 6 20 45 65 22
2016–17 Second League (II) 13 9 6 15 44 49 33
2022–23 South-West Third League (III) 5 11 9 10 54 35 42
2023–24 South-West Third League (III) 2 25 5 8 68 39 80
2024–25 Second League (II)
Green marks a season followed by promotion, red a season followed by relegation.

References

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  1. ^ "ЦСКА II повтори случая от 1984 година" (in Bulgarian). cska.bg. 27 May 2017.
  2. ^ "ЦСКА II няма да участва в Трета лига" (in Bulgarian). cska.bg. 5 June 2017.
  3. ^ "ЦСКА и Светослав Тодоров се разделиха" (in Bulgarian). cska.bg. 6 June 2017.
  4. ^ ЦСКА - София връща дублиращия си отбор, "червените" ще обиграват юноши в Трета лига
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