PFC Ludogorets Razgrad in European football

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PFC Ludogorets Razgrad in European football
The Ludogorets starting XI before a Round of 32 UEFA Europa League game against Lazio in Sofia on 27 February 2014
ClubLudogorets Razgrad
Seasons played14
First entry2012–13 UEFA Champions League
Latest entry2025–26 UEFA Europa League

PFC Ludogorets Razgrad is an association football club from Razgrad, Bulgaria. Since their introduction to the Bulgarian top-flight, Ludogorets have participated in five different seasons of the UEFA club competitions - four in the Champions League and two in the UEFA Europa League.

Ludogorets' first entry in the European competitions was in the 2012–13 Champions League against Dinamo Zagreb of Croatia. Since then, the club competes in Europe on an annual basis with variable success.

Ludogorets' best European performance came in the 2013–14 Europa League, when the team won their group against PSV Eindhoven, Chornomorets Odesa and Dinamo Zagreb, eventually becoming the first Bulgarian team to win a UEFA Europa League group. Subsequently, they also reached the round of 16 stage of the same competition, after playing two memorable matches against Lazio, including a 1–0 away win and a 3–3 home draw, before being eliminated by Spanish club Valencia. Then, in the 2014–15 season, Ludogorets became the second Bulgarian team to reach the UEFA Champions League group stages (the first being Levski Sofia in 2006–07) after eliminating Steaua București 6–5 at penalties and the first one to score points in this phase following a 1–0 victory over FC Basel.

2013–14 Europa League round of 16 campaign

After winning the 2011–12 A Group for the first time in their history, Ludogorets entered the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League for the 2012–13 season, where they lost 3–4 on aggregate by Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb.

As 2012–13 Bulgarian champions, Ludogorets qualified for the 2013–14 Champions League qualifying rounds where they entered the tournament from the second preliminary round. Ludogorets were drawn against Slovan Bratislava. In the first leg in Bratislava, they recorded a 1–2 loss against the Slovak champions, keeping poor chances to advance. Despite this, Ludogorets obtained their first victory in the UEFA Champions League, after a 3–0 thrashing against Slovan at the Ludogorets Arena in the return match. As they advanced to the next round, they were drawn against Serbian champions, Partizan Belgrade. After two wins of 2–1 in Razgrad and 1–0 in the second leg, they managed to qualify for the play-off stage, obtaining indirectly their very first qualification to the group stages of a European competition. The team was drawn against FC Basel, but lost 2–4 at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia. After a second 0–2 loss in Switzerland, Ludogorets were eliminated and transferred to the Europa League for the very first time in their history.

Ludogorets were drawn in Group B of the 2013–14 Europa League, against PSV Eindhoven, Dinamo Zagreb and Chornomorets Odesa. At their debut in the competition, Ludogorets won 2–0 at Eindhoven over PSV, obtaining their first European group stages victory. On matchday 2, Ludogorets won 3–0 against Dinamo Zagreb, in a replay match from their previous Champions League season clash. On matchday 3, Ludogorets again won 1–0 against Chornomorets Odesa, becoming the first Bulgarian team to begin their group stage participation in European tournaments with three consecutive wins without conceding any goal. On matchday 4, they dropped the only points in a 1–1 home draw with Chornomorets Odesa. On matchday 5, Ludogorets win 2-1 at Zagreb against Dinamo.[1] On the last matchday, Ludogorets again won 2–0 over PSV at Sofia and qualified for the round of 32 as group winners, with 16 points, being the only Bulgarian team undefeated in UEFA Europa League group stages. In the round of 32, Ludogorets were drawn against Italian cup holders, Lazio. In the first leg, held on Stadio Olimpico at Roma, Ludogorets won 1-0, with striker Roman Bezjak scoring the winning goal in a historic win. At Vasil Levski National Stadium, Ludogorets hold Lazio in a 3–3 draw, after Lazio had a 2–0 lead, until Bezjak and Hristo Zlatinski scored for 2–2. Later, Lazio scored for 3–2, but Juninho Quixada scored the equaliser for a 4–3 aggregate win.[2] In the round of 16, Ludogorets hosted Spanish team Valencia, but were defeated 0–3, suffering their first defeat in the UEFA Europa League. In the second leg at Mestalla Stadium, Ludogorets were again defeated 0–1 by Valencia and eliminated.[3]

2014–15 Champions League group stages

In the 2014–15 Champions League, Ludogorets again won both their qualifiers, against F91 Dudelange of Luxembourg and Partizan Belgrade.[4][5] In the play-off they defeated Steaua București to reach the group stage for the first time.[6] Goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov was dismissed for a second yellow card in the last minute of extra time in the second leg, when Ludogorets had used all their substitutes. In the penalty shoot-out, centre-back Cosmin Moți, having converted the first penalty, went in goal and made two saves to put Ludogorets through 6–5 on penalties.[6]

Ludogorets and Steaua's starting line-ups during their play-off match of the UEFA Champions League.

Ludogorets made their debut in the 2014–15 Champions League group phase on 16 September 2014, grabbing a 1-1 equalizer away against Liverpool in the 90th minute scored by Dani Abalo, but in an eventual 1-2 loss,[7] as the newly signed goalkeeper Milan Borjan then gave away a penalty with a foul on Javi Manquillo, which Steven Gerrard converted to give Liverpool the victory.[8] Ludogorets made their home debut in the 2014–15 Champions League group phase on 1 October 2014, scoring a goal in the 6th minute through Ludogorets' attacking midfielder Marcelinho against the current Champions League champion Real Madrid, but in an eventual 1–2 loss.[9] In this game Cristiano Ronaldo took two penalties, with the first saved by the Ludogorets' goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov and the second converted into the goal for a 1-1 equalizer.[9] On 22 October 2014, Yordan Minev scored his first goal for Ludogorets, scoring a last-minute winning goal in a 1–0 home win over Basel in the group stage of the Champions League.[10] However, on matchday 4, Ludogorets were defeated 0-4 by Basel at St. Jakob-Park, suffering their worst defeat in the European competitions. On 26 November 2014, Dani Abalo scored in the 3rd minute and Georgi Terziev scored his first goal in the 88th minute, getting a 2–2 equalizer against Liverpool, in an eventual 2-2 draw.[11] On the last matchday, Ludogorets were beaten 0-4 at Santiago Bernabéu by Real Madrid, ending their UEFA Champions League adventure on the fourth place, with 4 points, becoming the first Bulgarian team to record points in that competition when they defeated Basel. This was also the first home win for a Bulgarian team in the UEFA Champions League, and was followed by a 2-2 home draw with Liverpool.

Total statistics

As of 26 February 2026

Competition Pld W D L GF GA Win%
UEFA Champions League 7628183011110636.84
UEFA Europa League 9330263712512432.26
UEFA Europa Conference League 10514131450
Total17963457124924435.20

Statistics by club/country

As of 26 February 2026

Country Club Pld W D L GF GA GD
Austria Austria LASK 200247−3
Subtotal 200247−3
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Qarabağ 210148−4
Subtotal 210148−4
Belarus Belarus Dinamo Minsk 421153+2
Dynamo Brest 110020+2
Shakhtyor Soligorsk 220020+2
Subtotal 751193+6
Belgium Belgium Anderlecht 310224−2
Antwerp 200225−3
Subtotal 510449−5
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Zrinjski Mostar 211021+1
Subtotal 211021+1
Croatia Croatia Dinamo Zagreb 62131111±0
Rijeka 211031+2
Subtotal 83231412+2
Czech Republic Czech Republic Slavia Prague 100102−2
Viktoria Plzeň 312042+2
Subtotal 412144±0
Cyprus Cyprus AEK Larnaca 202011±0
Subtotal 202011±0
Denmark Denmark Copenhagen 201112−1
Midtjylland 402214−3
Nordsjælland 210127−5
Subtotal 8134413−9
England England Arsenal 200229−7
Liverpool 201134−1
Tottenham Hotspur 200217−6
Subtotal 6015620−14
Finland Finland HJK 211031+2
Subtotal 211031+2
France France Lyon 101011±0
Nice 110010+1
Paris Saint-Germain 201135−2
Subtotal 412156−1
Germany Germany Bayer Leverkusen 201134−1
TSG Hoffenheim 211032+1
Subtotal 412166±0
Georgia (country) Georgia Dinamo Batumi 210132+1
Torpedo Kutaisi 220050+5
Subtotal 430182+6
Greece Greece Olympiacos 202033±0
PAOK 101033±0
Subtotal 303066±0
Hungary Hungary Ferencváros 92251015−5
Videoton 201101−1
Subtotal 112361016−6
Iceland Iceland Valur 211051+4
Subtotal 211051+4
Israel Israel Hapoel Be'er Sheva 210133±0
Subtotal 210133±0
Italy Italy Inter Milan 200214−3
Lazio 312043+1
Milan 200204−4
Roma 210134−1
Subtotal 9225815−7
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Astana 210163+3
Subtotal 210163+3
Kosovo Kosovo Ballkani 210142+2
Subtotal 210142+2
Lithuania Lithuania Sūduva Marijampolė 211020+2
Žalgiris 421196+3
Subtotal 6321116+5
Luxembourg Luxembourg F91 Dudelange 211051+4
Subtotal 211051+4
Moldova Moldova Milsami Orhei 200213−2
Petrocub Hîncești 220061+5
Subtotal 420274+3
Montenegro Montenegro Budućnost Podgorica 110031+2
Mladost Podgorica 220050+5
Sutjeska Nikšić 220030+3
Subtotal 5500111+10
Netherlands Netherlands Ajax 210124−2
AZ 101022±0
PSV Eindhoven 220040+4
Subtotal 531186+2
North Macedonia North Macedonia Shkëndija 210153+2
Subtotal 210153+2
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Crusaders 220090+9
Subtotal 220090+9
Portugal Portugal Braga 411256−1
Subtotal 411256−1
Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland Shamrock Rovers 210142+2
Subtotal 210142+2
Romania Romania Steaua București 210111±0
Subtotal 210111±0
Russia Russia CSKA Moscow 211062+4
Subtotal 211062+4
Scotland Scotland Rangers 100101−1
Subtotal 100101−1
Serbia Serbia Partizan 422053+2
Red Star Belgrade 411266±0
Subtotal 8332119+2
Slovakia Slovakia Slovan Bratislava 210142+2
Spartak Trnava 220061+5
Subtotal 4301103+7
Slovenia Slovenia Maribor 202022±0
Mura 211031+2
Olimpija 201123−1
Subtotal 614176+1
Spain Spain Athletic Bilbao 100112–1
Celta Vigo 110032+1
Espanyol 200207−7
Real Betis 300326−4
Real Madrid 200216−5
Valencia 200204–4
Subtotal 111010727–20
Sweden Sweden Malmö FF 320144±0
Subtotal 320144±0
Switzerland Switzerland Basel 6123411–7
Servette 201101−1
Young Boys 100123−1
Zürich 201112−1
Subtotal 11146717–10
Turkey Turkey Fenerbahçe 210133±0
İstanbul Başakşehir 201112–1
Subtotal 411245–1
Ukraine Ukraine Chornomorets Odesa 211021+1
Subtotal 211021+1
Wales Wales The New Saints 220090+9
Subtotal 220090+9
Total 179634571249244+5

Match results

Achievements and records

References

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