Bulgarian Levski to Join Gazprom's Football Empire - Report

It is not clear why Gazprom has chosen Levski over CSKA, even though pundits have argued that the company prefers sponsoring teams playing in blue jerseys. Photo by gong.bg

Bulgarian football team Levski Sofia is about to ink a sponsorship deal with Russian energy giant Gazprom, according to a report.

Russia's Kommersant daily says the sponsorship deal is expected to be signed on December 7, the same date on which the South Stream gas pipeline project is to be launched.

Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller recently hinted of a potential deal between the energy company and Levski.

On November 15 Miller signed in the presence of Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov the final investment agreement for the Bulgarian participation in the South Stream natural gas pipeline project.

Over the summer, Borisov had said that Gazprom is considering financing Levski's arch-rival, financially troubled CSKA Sofia.

It is not clear why Gazprom has chosen Levski over CSKA, even though pundits have argued that the company prefers sponsoring teams playing in blue jerseys, corresponding to the company's own colors.

Besides owning Russian team Zenit St Petersburg, the Russian gas company also sponsors Schalke and Red Star Belgrade and recently agreed a commercial deal with Chelsea.

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