The Hardcore Troop Of PFC Levski Sofia

The Hardcore Troop Of PFC Levski Sofia

In Bulgaria, there is an earnest attitude towards the practice of sports in general. But football is the most popular sport in the country, and it has been a significant part of the culture and mentality of Bulgarian citizens since the beginning of the late 1890s. Then, a group of Swiss teachers introduced this sport, and several teams were soon founded. Among them was PFC Levski, from the capital city, Sofia. A group of students founded the team in 1914, named after Vasil Levski, the Bulgarian hero of the revolution. Unfortunately, soccer in that country has been tainted by acts of corruption, violence, and crime. Indeed, many international investigations have been carried out since 2003, after the murder, in less than a decade, of 15 management members of various Bulgarian teams. To this day, organized mafias are said to run betting networks that have infiltrated the hearts of many of the biggest teams. Also, they have influenced the attitudes of supporters of teams like PFC Levski Sofia.

Levski's historical rival is PFC CSKA Sofia, the team associated with the Soviet army since its foundation. Meanwhile, Levski is called the "people's team" with a militancy of far-right ideology and with ultra groups, who openly call themselves Nazis and skinheads. None of this can bring positive consequences to the team or the followers who oppose these violent groups. So, the history of Levski fans is full of wild and vicious episodes. At the Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, home of Levski Sofia, the tension is alive in every match. The distribution of the team's supporters is part of its tradition, and all the attention of the authorities and security forces is focused on sector B. The ultra fans of the team have occupied that area of the grounds for years. Most of them are neo-Nazi radical fanatics who, in each match, light flares that practically fill the entire stadium with smoke.

In 1985, three police officers were seriously injured, and more than 20 Levski supporters were arrested after a pitched battle against PFC CSKA Sofia followers. But the violence has not stopped or been minimized over time, which is why it is said that these ultra groups are financed and managed by organized crime. In 2016, in the middle of a match against the Pirin Blagoevgrad team, savagery broke out in sector B, and the police had to intervene. But, the violence of the Levski supporters was such that the police officers had to escape after being chased and beaten. So, nine police officers were injured by bottles and blunt objects. A year later, on the occasion of a qualifying match for the Europa League against the Croatian team Hajduk Split, Levski ultras terrorized the hotel where the Split players were staying. They tried to burn it down! Luckily, the security forces arrived at the hotel to prevent it, although they caused some damage.

Meanwhile, the team has not won a league title since the 2009 season and finished in eighth place in the standings last season. As we can see, it is evident that violence and crime do not lead to good sporting results.