Matthaeus Leaves Bojinov Out of Bulgaria Squad

Parma striker Valeri Bojinov claims he had not been dropped and there are other things involved, which he can't disclose to the media. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Bulgaria new coach Lothar Matthaeus has surprisingly left Parma striker Valeri Bojinov out of the squad for its upcoming European Championship qualifier against Wales.

Bulgaria, who kicked off Group G with back-to-back defeats by England and Montenegro, face Wales before a friendly against Saudi Arabia in Istanbul on 12 October.

Bojinov featured in the line-up last week when Lothar Matthaeus recalled 18 overseas-based players in the squad for his first match in charge, but was dropped after the coach watched the striker play against Fiorentina in Serie A on Sunday.

However, the Parma striker claims he had not been dropped.

"From now on I'll decide whether to accept to play for the national team or not to play," Bojinov told Darik radio. "It's not Matthaeus who decided to drop me from the squad. There are other things involved... but I can't tell the media now."

The move is surprising as Bojinov was expected to be the key player Lothar Matthaeus will rely on after failing to convince Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov to return to the squad.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima defender Iliyan Stoyanov has also been omitted from the Bulgarian squad for next Friday's Euro 2012 qualifier.

Bulgaria is at the bottom of Group G with zero points.

Below is the final 24-man line-up of the Bulgarian team for its clash against Wales:

Goalkeepers: Nikolay Mihaylov (Twente), Vladislav Stoyanov (Sheriff Tiraspol), Boyan Peykov (Lokomotiv Sofia)

Defenders: Ivan Ivanov (Alania Vladikavkaz), Zhivko Milanov (Vaslui), Valentin Iliev (Universitatea Craiova), Veselin Minev (Levski Sofia), Yordan Miliev (Levski Sofia), Pavel Vidanov (CSKA Sofia), Nikolay Bodurov (Litex Lovech), Petar Zanev (Litex Lovech)

Midfielders: Chavdar Yankov (Rostov), Daniel Dimov (Cherno More Varna), Georgi Peev (Amkar Perm), Nikolay Dimitrov (Kasimpasa), Stanislav Angelov (Steaua), Stiliyan Petrov (Aston Villa), Blagoy Georgiev (Terek Grozny), Martin Petrov (Bolton)

Strikers: Dimitar Rangelov (Maccabi Tel-Aviv), Ivelin Popov (Gaziantepspor), Dimitar Makriev (Ashdod), Valeri Domovchiyski (Hertha Berlin), Tsvetan Genkov (Lokomotiv Sofia)

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