Bulgaria Top Players Out of Squad for Wales Clash - Report

Arsenal`s Aaron Ramsey (R) challenges Aston Villa`s Stiliyan Petrov (L) during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium in London, Britain, 15 May 2011. EPA/BGNES

Bulgaria will go to the euro qualifier against Wales next month without two of its top players – Stiliyan Petrov and Martin Petrov, according to local media reports.

If confirmed, the move will be an echo of the recently dismissed former coach Lothar Matthaeus' tactics, who left out of the match against Belarus the most experienced pair only to be put to shame after a humiliating but well-deserved defeat.

Mihail Madanski, who took over the team as an interim coach, has repeated the arguments of his predecessor, saying he wanted to test new players and see new faces in action.

The Petrovs, who play for Premier League clubs Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers, have recently denied media reports that they plan to quit the national team after the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.

PSV Eindhoven defender Stanislav Manolev, who turned on the former coach German Lothar Lothar Matthaeus, after being dropped for the Euro 2012 Group G qualifier against England on September 2, will most probably feature in the line-up of his successor.

Former Parma striker Valeri Bojinov, who never made a secret of his negative feelings for the former coach and vowed never to wear the Bulgarian shirt while Matthaeus is in charge, is expected to be back now that the German is gone.

Nikolay Bodurov and Zhivko Milanov however are likely to remain out due to an injury and a red card respectively.

Bulgaria have now lost even theoretical chances to qualify to Euro 2012 after getting defeated by Switzerland in Basel earlier this month.

Bulgaria remains fourth out of 5 in qualifying group G with 5 points, losing any hopes to make it even to the second place.

Switzerland next plays away to Wales on October 7, and Bulgaria welcomes the Welsh four days later.

Montenegro hosts England on October 7 before coming to Switzerland for the final match.

England leads the group.

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