Bulgaria’s football federation (BFS) has released a review of three contentious calls from the quarterfinal stage of the Bulgarian Cup. Two of the incidents occurred during the match between Ludogorets and Levski, with the third stemming from the Plovdiv derby.
According to the video analysis published by the BFS, refereeing officials should have issued a red card to Levski’s Olivier Camdem late in the first half, and to Ludogorets’ Cayo Vidal in the closing minutes of the contest.
The BFS also stated that Lokomotiv Plovdiv’s winning goal, which secured their elimination of Botev, was valid and there was no offside, despite fan concerns.
Here’s the BFS’s interpretation of the three situations:
Situation 1: Olivier Camdem impeded Cayo Vidal during a Ludogorets counterattack but did not receive a yellow card – an incorrect decision. According to the rules, Camdem acted “disrespectfully towards the game.” VAR could not intervene because it was a second cautionable offense, not a straight red card. In this instance, the fourth official, with a clear view of the play, should have alerted the head referee, who had his back to the incident.
Situation 2: A foul by Cayo Vidal on Levski’s Maikon, a scissor kick to the face, was missed by both the head referee and the VAR officials. The No. 11 for Ludogorets should have been sent off, as he had the opportunity to avoid injuring his opponent but did not. The first assistant referee had the best vantage point but failed to inform the head referee, who was positioned with an obstructed view. VAR also failed to correctly assess the play, recommending only a review of the situation.
Situation 3: Parviz Umarbaev’s goal for Lokomotiv Plovdiv in their 1-0 victory over Botev Plovdiv – correctly allowed. Botev’s goalkeeper had a clear view of the player taking the shot, as well as the ball’s trajectory. He intentionally spread his legs to avoid touching it, knowing the shooter was in an offside position. According to the BFS, the goalkeeper’s actions did not impede or influence the play.
