2017–18 PFC Cherno More Varna season

This page covers all relevant details regarding Cherno More for all official competitions inside the 2017–18 season. These are the First Professional Football League and the Bulgarian Cup.

Due to the ongoing repair works at Ticha Stadium, the team played its first home league game at Kavarna Stadium in Kavarna.

On 21 September 2017, following a streak of poor results and Bulgarian Cup elimination by Montana, manager Georgi Ivanov resigned. Assistant coach Emanuel Lukanov was immediately appointed as caretaker manager. As results didn't improve, on 28 December he was replaced with Ilian Iliev, his second tenure as Cherno More manager.

Competition record
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" ! rowspan=2 width="100" | Competition ! rowspan=2 width="90" | Started round ! rowspan=2 width="90" | Current position/round ! rowspan=2 width="90" | Final position/round ! rowspan=2 width="130" | First match ! rowspan=2 width="110" | Last match ! colspan=8 | Record ! width="25" | P ! width="25" | W ! width="25" | D ! width="25" | L ! width="25" | GF ! width="25" | GA ! width="25" | GD ! width="40" | Win %



! colspan=6 style="text-align: right;"| Total



Summary
Correct as of match played on 24 May 2018.

Pre-season and friendlies
As of 16 June 2017, Cherno More have announced 5 pre-season friendlies against Levski Sofia, Beroe, Septemvri Sofia, Bnei Yehuda and Dunărea Călărași. The Israeli club replaced the initially announced Sozopol. The final summer pre-season friendly was supposed to be against Dobrudzha Dobrich but they refused to participate due to organizational issues and were replaced by the Romanian club. On 14 December 2017, the club announced the final two friendlies for the winter pre-season, against Ludogorets Razgrad II and Pomorie. The first winter pre-season match was announced a week later. On 7 January 2018, the full schedule of the winter pre-season was announced, with 5 friendlies on Turkish soil: against Krylia Sovetov on 24 January, Lokomotiv Tashkent on 29 January, and Pyunik on 31 January. Two more friendlies remained to be arranged. They were announced on 17 January, encounters with Tirana on 23 January and Dunărea Călărași on 31 January. Subsequently, the friendly against the Armenian club was rearranged with Tosno. On 21 March, another friendly was arranged during the international break, against Chernomorets Balchik.

Player appearances

 * align=left|3||align=left|DF||align=left|🇧🇬 Ertan Tombak
 * 1(2)||0||1||0||2(2)||0||1||0||
 * align=left|5||align=left|DF||align=left|🇧🇬 Stefan Stanchev
 * 17(6)||0||1||0||18(6)||0||5||0||
 * align=left|6||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Aleksandar Tsvetkov †
 * 25(1)||0||0(1)||0||25(2)||0||5||0||
 * align=left|7||align=left|DF||align=left| Vitinha
 * 1||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|1||0||0||0||
 * align=left|8||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Emil Yanchev
 * 2(6)||0||0||0||2(6)||0||0||0||
 * align=left|9||align=left|FW||align=left|🇧🇬 Tsvetelin Chunchukov †
 * 8(1)||1||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|8(1)||1||3||1||
 * align=left|9||align=left|MF||align=left| Mehdi Fennouche
 * 12(1)||4||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|12(1)||4||3||0||
 * align=left|10||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Ilian Iliev †
 * 0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||
 * align=left|10||align=left|FW||align=left|🇧🇬 Radoslav Vasilev
 * 14(2)||6||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|14(2)||6||3||0||
 * align=left|11||align=left|FW||align=left|🇫🇷 Amadou Soukouna †
 * 6(2)||0||1||0||style="background:#98FB98"|7(2)||0||1||0||
 * align=left|13||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Ivan Kokonov †
 * 1(4)||0||0||0||1(4)||0||0||0||
 * align=left|14||align=left|FW||align=left|🇧🇬 Georgi Bozhilov
 * 13(7)||3||0(1)||0||13(8)||3||2||0||
 * align=left|15||align=left|DF||align=left|🇧🇬 Aleksandar Aleksandrov †
 * 10(4)||0||0||0||10(4)||0||1||0||
 * align=left|16||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Petar Vitanov
 * 14||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|14||0||5||0||
 * align=left|17||align=left|DF||align=left|🇧🇬 Martin Kostadinov
 * 14(4)||0||0(1)||0||14(5)||0||0||0||
 * align=left|18||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Atanas Zehirov
 * 29(3)||2||1||0||style="background:#98FB98"|30(3)||2||5||0||
 * align=left|19||align=left|DF||align=left|🇧🇬 Iliya Milanov †
 * 7||0||1||0||style="background:#98FB98"|8||0||4||0||
 * align=left|21||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Georgi Iliev (c)
 * 36||6||0||0||36||6||8||0||
 * align=left|22||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Mariyan Ognyanov
 * 22(2)||6||1||0||style="background:#98FB98"|23(2)||6||5||0||
 * align=left|23||align=left|DF||align=left| Ilias Hassani
 * 32||1||1||0||style="background:#98FB98"|33||1||12||1||
 * align=left|25||align=left|GK||align=left|🇧🇬 Ivan Dyulgerov
 * 3||0||0||0||3||0||0||0||
 * align=left|26||align=left|GK||align=left|🇧🇬 Ivan Dichevski
 * 0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||
 * align=left|27||align=left|DF||align=left|🇧🇬 Daniel Dimov
 * 16||1||0||0||16||1||4||0||
 * align=left|29||align=left|FW||align=left|🇸🇰 Marek Kuzma
 * 11(16)||3||1||1||12(16)||4||4||0||
 * align=left|33||align=left|GK||align=left|🇧🇬 Emil Mihaylov †
 * 16||0||0||0||16||0||2||0||
 * align=left|33||align=left|DF||align=left|🇧🇬 Miroslav Enchev
 * 3(3)||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|3(3)||0||1||0||
 * align=left|36||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Rumen Kasabov
 * 0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||
 * align=left|37||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Lachezar Yordanov
 * 0(1)||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|0(1)||0||0||0||
 * align=left|38||align=left|MF||align=left| Aristote N'Dongala
 * 6(2)||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|6(2)||0||0||0||
 * align=left|41||align=left|DF||align=left| Hugo Konongo
 * 13||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|13||0||2||0||
 * align=left|45||align=left|MF||align=left| Fábinho
 * 1(5)||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|1(5)||0||0||0||
 * align=left|66||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Orlin Starokin †
 * 16||2||1||0||style="background:#98FB98"|17||2||2||0||
 * align=left|70||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Borislav Baldzhiyski †
 * 0(2)||0||0||0||0(2)||0||1||0||
 * align=left|73||align=left|DF||align=left|🇨🇿 Ondřej Sukup †
 * 19(1)||1||0||0||19(1)||1||3||0||
 * align=left|77||align=left|GK||align=left|🇺🇦 Yevhen Borovyk †
 * 3||0||1||0||style="background:#98FB98"|4||0||1||0||
 * align=left|81||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Anton Ognyanov †
 * 5(3)||1||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|5(3)||1||1||0||
 * align=left|88||align=left|GK||align=left|🇧🇬 Blagoy Makendzhiev
 * 15||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|15||0||1||0||
 * align=left|90||align=left|FW||align=left|🇧🇬 Martin Minchev
 * 6(16)||2||0||0||6(16)||2||1||0||
 * align=left|97||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Nikolay Minkov
 * 5(9)||0||1||0||6(9)||0||1||0||
 * align=left|98||align=left|FW||align=left|🇧🇬 Valentin Yoskov ¤
 * 0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||
 * align=left|99||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Dani Kiki
 * 5(4)||1||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|5(4)||1||2||0||
 * }
 * 0(1)||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|0(1)||0||0||0||
 * align=left|38||align=left|MF||align=left| Aristote N'Dongala
 * 6(2)||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|6(2)||0||0||0||
 * align=left|41||align=left|DF||align=left| Hugo Konongo
 * 13||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|13||0||2||0||
 * align=left|45||align=left|MF||align=left| Fábinho
 * 1(5)||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|1(5)||0||0||0||
 * align=left|66||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Orlin Starokin †
 * 16||2||1||0||style="background:#98FB98"|17||2||2||0||
 * align=left|70||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Borislav Baldzhiyski †
 * 0(2)||0||0||0||0(2)||0||1||0||
 * align=left|73||align=left|DF||align=left|🇨🇿 Ondřej Sukup †
 * 19(1)||1||0||0||19(1)||1||3||0||
 * align=left|77||align=left|GK||align=left|🇺🇦 Yevhen Borovyk †
 * 3||0||1||0||style="background:#98FB98"|4||0||1||0||
 * align=left|81||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Anton Ognyanov †
 * 5(3)||1||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|5(3)||1||1||0||
 * align=left|88||align=left|GK||align=left|🇧🇬 Blagoy Makendzhiev
 * 15||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|15||0||1||0||
 * align=left|90||align=left|FW||align=left|🇧🇬 Martin Minchev
 * 6(16)||2||0||0||6(16)||2||1||0||
 * align=left|97||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Nikolay Minkov
 * 5(9)||0||1||0||6(9)||0||1||0||
 * align=left|98||align=left|FW||align=left|🇧🇬 Valentin Yoskov ¤
 * 0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||
 * align=left|99||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Dani Kiki
 * 5(4)||1||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|5(4)||1||2||0||
 * }
 * align=left|90||align=left|FW||align=left|🇧🇬 Martin Minchev
 * 6(16)||2||0||0||6(16)||2||1||0||
 * align=left|97||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Nikolay Minkov
 * 5(9)||0||1||0||6(9)||0||1||0||
 * align=left|98||align=left|FW||align=left|🇧🇬 Valentin Yoskov ¤
 * 0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||
 * align=left|99||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Dani Kiki
 * 5(4)||1||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|5(4)||1||2||0||
 * }
 * align=left|99||align=left|MF||align=left|🇧🇬 Dani Kiki
 * 5(4)||1||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|5(4)||1||2||0||
 * }
 * }

Minutes on the pitch
Includes injury time. Positions indicate the most natural position of the particular player, followed by alternative positions where he actually started games during the course of the season.

Correct as of match played on 24 May 2018.

Goalscorers
Last updated: 24 May 2018

Clean sheets
Last updated: 20 April 2018

Man of the Match performances
Last updated: 19 May 2018

Source: Match reports in Competitions, Gong.bg Man of the Match Awards

Disciplinary record
Correct as of 24 May 2018

Players are listed in descending order of

Players with the same amount of cards are listed by their position on the club's official website

Injuries
Players in bold are still out from their injuries. Players listed will/have miss(ed) at least one competitive game (missing from whole match day squad).

Home attendances
Correct as of match played on 16 May 2018.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" !width=160 | Competition !width=120 class="unsortable" | Date !width=60 | Score !width=250 class="unsortable" | Opponent !width=150 | Attendance
 * First League||15 July 2017 ||bgcolor="#CCFFCC"|1–0 ||Vitosha Bistritsa ||250
 * First League||28 July 2017 ||bgcolor="#CCFFCC"|1–0 ||Dunav Ruse ||2,480
 * First League||11 August 2017 ||bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|1–1 ||Slavia Sofia ||1,830
 * First League||27 August 2017 ||bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|1–4 ||Septemvri Sofia ||1,630
 * First League||16 September 2017 ||bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|0–1 ||CSKA Sofia ||6,500
 * First League||23 September 2017 ||bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|0–0 ||Etar ||1,650
 * First League||14 October 2017 ||bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|0–1 ||Ludogorets Razgrad ||3,980
 * First League||5 November 2017 ||bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|1–2 ||Vereya ||780
 * First League||24 November 2017 ||bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|0–1 ||Pirin Blagoevgrad ||610
 * First League||2 December 2017 ||bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|0–0 ||Botev Plovdiv ||780
 * First League||17 February 2018 ||bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|1–4 ||Beroe ||1,380
 * First League||7 March 2018 ||bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|2–3 ||Levski Sofia ||3,080
 * First League||18 March 2018 ||bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|0–1 ||Lokomotiv Plovdiv ||780
 * First League||30 March 2018 ||bgcolor="#CCFFCC"|2–1 ||Pirin Blagoevgrad ||1,300
 * First League||13 April 2018 ||bgcolor="#CCFFCC"|2–0 ||Vitosha Bistritsa ||740
 * First League||20 April 2018 ||bgcolor="#CCFFCC"|2–0 ||Slavia Sofia ||660
 * European play-off quarter-finals||5 May 2018 ||bgcolor="#CCFFCC"|2–1 ||Septemvri Sofia ||770
 * European play-off semi-finals||16 May 2018 ||bgcolor="#CCFFCC"|2–1 ||Lokomotiv Plovdiv ||1,250
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * Total attendance
 * 30,450
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * Total league attendance
 * 30,450
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * Average attendance
 * 1,692
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * Average league attendance
 * 1,692
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * Total attendance
 * 30,450
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * Total league attendance
 * 30,450
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * Average attendance
 * 1,692
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * Average league attendance
 * 1,692
 * bgcolor="#C0C0C0"|
 * Average league attendance
 * 1,692

Coaching staff
{|class="wikitable" !Position !Staff 🇧🇬 Emanuel Lukanov (21 September–28 December) 🇧🇬 Ilian Iliev (from 28 December) 🇧🇬 Petar Kostadinov (from 28 December) 🇧🇬 Boyan Peykov (from 28 December)
 * Manager||🇧🇬 Georgi Ivanov (until 21 September)
 * Manager||🇧🇬 Georgi Ivanov (until 21 September)
 * Manager||🇧🇬 Georgi Ivanov (until 21 September)
 * Assistant First Team Coach||🇧🇬 Ivaylo Petrov (until 21 September)
 * Assistant First Team Coach||🇧🇬 Ivaylo Petrov (until 21 September)
 * Assistant First Team Coach||🇧🇬 Emanuel Lukanov (until 21 September)
 * Goalkeeper Coach||🇧🇬 Stoyan Stavrev (until 28 December)
 * Goalkeeper Coach||🇧🇬 Stoyan Stavrev (until 28 December)
 * Goalkeeper Coach||🇧🇬 Stoyan Stavrev (until 28 December)
 * First Team Fitness Coach||🇧🇬 Veselin Markov
 * Individual Team Fitness Coach||🇧🇬 Viktor Bumbalov
 * Medical Director||🇧🇬 Dr. Petko Atev
 * Individual Team Fitness Coach||🇧🇬 Viktor Bumbalov
 * Medical Director||🇧🇬 Dr. Petko Atev
 * Medical Director||🇧🇬 Dr. Petko Atev