Bozhinov not needed by Bulgaria

Interim Bulgaria coach Stanimir Stoilov has left Juventus striker Valeri Bozhinov out of his UEFA EURO 2008™ squad for the away and home qualifiers against Belarus next month.

Sirakov surprise
As well as Bozhinov, PFC CSKA Sofia defender Valentin Iliev, FC, FK Crvena Zvezda midfielder Blagoi Georgiev and forwards Svetoslav Todorov and Zoran Janković, of Portsmouth FC and Dalian Shide respectively, are also excluded. The surprise name is 29-year-old right-back Zahari Sirakov, who won his only previous cap back in 1998. Fresh from guiding PFC Levski Sofia to the domestic title, Stoilov said: "I watched Sirakov playing for Amkar in Russia and he played very well. I am sure he will be a useful addition." Chavdar Yankov is suspended for the 2 June game in Minsk but will be eligible for the Sofia return four days later. Bulgaria are third in Group G, five points behind the Netherlands but with a game in hand.

Bulgaria squad
Goalkeepers: Georgi Petkov (PFC Levski Sofia), Dimitar Ivankov (Kayserispor).

Defenders: Radostin Kishishev (Charlton Athletic FC), Petar Zanev (PFC Litex Lovech), Zahari Sirakov (FC Amkar Perm), Alexander Tunchev (PFC CSKA Sofia), Elin Topuzakov (PFC Levski Sofia), Stanislav Angelov (PFC Levski Sofia), Igor Tomašić (PFC Levski Sofia), Lucio Wagner (PFC Levski Sofia).

Midfielders: Chavdar Yankov (Hannover 96), Stilian Petrov (Aston Villa FC), Martin Petrov (Club Atlético de Madrid), Dimitar Telikiyski (PFC Levski Sofia), Hristo Yovov (PFC Levski Sofia).

Forwards: Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Tsvetan Genkov (PFC Lokomotiv Sofia), Valeri Domovchiyski (PFC Levski Sofia), Vladimir Manchev (Real Valladolid).