Julio Velázquez, a miracle in Bulgarian football

Levski Sofia heads into the Bulgarian First League’s winter break as league leaders after the first 19 matches. The team has 14 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses, giving them a significant advantage over second-placed CSKA 1948 Sofia. This is the first time in 16 years that the club has reached this position in the first half of the season.

The accumulated numbers confirm the capital city team as the most effective at both ends of the field. They are the top scorers and have the best defense in the tournament so far. Furthermore, their goal difference (+31) is significantly higher than that of their pursuers, reflecting not only their ability to score, but also their capacity to hold onto favorable results during critical phases of matches.

At the helm of the project is Julio Velázquez, a Spanish coach with experience in the top tier of Spanish football, who has managed clubs such as Real Zaragoza and Deportivo Alavés in the past. Since his arrival in February of this year, the team’s performance has been on the upswing. They finished second last season after a rough patch in the standings, and are currently leading the league this season, where they also have competitive prospects in the cup and the Super Cup.

After losing to AZ Alkmaar in their European dream of qualifying for the Conference League, the team’s two other major title aspirations remain, running parallel to their outstanding league campaign. Their recent victory in the Round of 16 of the Bulgarian Cup concludes their 2025 competitive season before the Christmas break with high expectations. Furthermore, the 2026 schedule includes the Bulgarian Super Cup against the historic Ludogorets Razgrad, one of the teams that has proven a tough opponent in their head-to-head record.

All the factors continue to add up to an exceptional moment of form for one of the biggest clubs in the country, which, despite having one of the lowest spending on signings in the entire competition, has a great record - accumulating 26 league titles - which it continues to fight to expand.

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