Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
RAZ OUR GAME
Bulgarian champions carry a huge threat but Baxter wants tie to be alive for Seaview return
CRUSADERS boss Stephen Baxter is bracing himself for one of the toughest European nights of his 13-year reign in Razgrad this evening. Ludogorets may not boast the same cache or profile as Martin Jol’s Fulham side who beat the Seaview men 7-1 on aggregate in the Europa League in 2011.
But Baxter expects the Bulgarian champions to pose as big a threat as the Londoners and FC Copenhagen who hammered the Crues 9-0 in the Champions League two years ago.
That Copenhagen side included the likes of Thomas Delaney, Andreas Cornelius and William Kvist who helped Denmark reach the knockout stages of this summer’s World Cup.
Delaney recently joined Borussia Dortmund from Werder Bremen for £17m, while rangy frontman Cornelius helped Atalanta to seventh place in Serie A last season.
Baxter said: “That was a great Copenhagen side and I suspect this will be equally as challenging.
“Ludogorets have eight Bulgarian internationals in their squad and they have been on a two week training camp in Austria, so we know it’ll be dreadfully tough.
“They also reached the knockout stages of last season’s Europa League and have played the likes of Liverpool (above) and Real Madrid in the Champions League in recent years.” In the group stages four years ago, the Bulgarian champions held Liverpool to a 2-2 draw in Sofia and led Real Madrid 1-0 at home before losing 2-1 to a late Karim Benzema goal.
Baxter said: “The level they work at is very impressive. Ludogorets have had two delegations visit Belfast to check out hotels and they’ve also watched us in pre-season.
“This is big time football and win, lose or draw, we’ ll get an awful lot out of it. Our aim is to give a good account of ourselves, get them back to Seaview and give them a game.”
A restructuring of European competition by UEFA this year means Crusaders – who pocket £700,000 for playing in the Champions League – are guaranteed four ties in Europe.
Lose to Ludogorets, who have won their domestic title the past seven years, and the Shore Road men will enter the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
Captain Colin Coates, who is on holiday, and Sean Ward, who recently got married, are unavailable for tonight’s first leg.
Meanwhile, Crusaders have agreed enhanced contracts with a raft of players, including Gavin Whyte, Colin Coates, Jordan Owens and Billy Joe Burns, to reflect the club’s move to full-time training.