(foto: uradna spletna stran kluba)
Jakub Piotrowski, Ludogorets' star player, is close to joining Udinese, potentially playing his last game for the Bulgarian champions against Dinamo Minsk tonight.
Ludogorets is the longest-reigning champion in Europe, having dominated Bulgarian football for 13 years. While they once played a significant role in European competitions, their recent performances have been modest. In the first qualifying round of the Champions League, Ludogorets struggled but narrowly triumphed over Dinamo Batumi (3:1 and 0:1).
Tonight at Razgrad Arena (20:00), they face Belarusian champions Dinamo Minsk. On paper, the Bulgarian side is favored, especially since Belarusian teams cannot play on their home turf due to the war in Ukraine.
Ludogorets recently defeated CSKA Sofia 1-0 in the opening round of the domestic league, providing a good lead-up to today's crucial Champions League qualifier. The winner of this tie is guaranteed a spot in the Conference League group stage and a chance to compete in the Europa League, or even the Champions League, which this season features 36 clubs, four more than in previous years.
Dinamo Minsk is in full competitive rhythm, currently in the middle of the Belarusian championship. They narrowly defeated Pyunik (0:0 and 1:0) in the first qualifying round. Minsk's team is in great form, unbeaten in their domestic league with five consecutive wins, sharing the top spot with Zhodino and contending for the title with Neman. Dinamo has disrupted the dominance of BATE Borisov and later Shakhtyor Soligorsk.
Ludogorets' best player, Polish forward Jakub Piotrowski, may soon leave Razgrad. Udinese is interested in his services, and a move to Italy could be imminent. Udinese's coach, Austrian Kosta Runjaić, previously worked with Piotrowski at Pogon Szczecin. With only one year left on his contract, Ludogorets is aware they might struggle to keep their star player. Last season, Piotrowski scored 17 goals and provided six assists in 51 matches for Ludogorets, earning the title of the best player in the Bulgarian league.
Although he hasn't been at his best since returning from the European Championship in Germany, Piotrowski is expected to start tonight. This could very well be his last match in the green jersey of Ludogorets.