Bulgaria Lose 2 Key Players before Crucial Montenegro Match

Manolev, pictured here as England's Jermaine Defoe (R) scores his second goal past him during the EURO 2012 qualification match between England and Bulgaria, will skip the match against Montenegro. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Bulgaria's national football team has lost two of its key players to injuries two days before its second Euro 2012 qualification match against Montenegro.

The match is seen as being of crucial importance for preserving Bulgaria's chances to make it to Euro 2012 after the national team suffered a devastating 4:0 loss from England at Wembley on Friday in its first game from the qualification cycle.

The midfielder of the Russian FC Rostov Chavdar Yankov and right wingback of the Dutch team PSV Eindhoven Stanislav Manolev will not be able to play against Montenegro on Tuesday because of injuries they suffered during the national team's match against England.

Thus, Yankov and Manolev are joining two other key players who were out even before the match with the English, winger of Metalurh Donetsk Velizar Dimitrov and midfielder of Terek Grozny.

Manolev's position of right wingback will be especially problematic for coach Stanimir Stoilov to find a replacement.

The good news for the Bulgarians is that Parma's striker Valeri Bojinov, who had to be replaced during the match against England, will be able to play against Montenegro.

The second Euro 2012 qualifications match of the Bulgarian national team is in Sofia at the Vasil Levski stadium at 8:30 pm local time on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

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