Dissatisfaction at CSKA grows: Fans prepare protest before the Cup final over the name of the metro station "SC CSKA"

The latest refusal of the Sofia Municipality to name a future metro station, located near the "Cherveno zname" sports complex, after "SC CSKA", caused strong indignation in the "red" community. The decision united in their dissatisfaction both the fan faction "Sector G" and prominent figures from various sports clubs in CSKA.

The faction"Sector G"issued a strong statement, accusing the municipal authorities of failing to keep promises and "most impudently and unceremoniously" deceiving the fans, despite previous demonstrations of willingness to compromise on their part. In response to this act, "Sector G" announced the organization of aprotest on the day of the Bulgarian Football Cup final – May 22, in the center of Sofia. The protest will aim to defend "the name and history of our beloved club" and is accompanied by the categorical statement thatthere will be no second compromise on the issue of the metro station's name.

A strong position on the matter was also expressed by the head coach of CSKA's volleyball team,Aleksandar Popov. In a comment to MAX Sport 2 ten days ago, Popov described the decision of the Sofia Municipality as"offensive to our community"and sees it as part of a trend towards"erasing an important element of Bulgaria's sports history". The coach emphasized that the request for the name "SC CSKA" is not just a whim, but a matter of values and respect for the heritage of the sports complex. He pointed out that thousands of children have passed through the facilities of "SC CSKA" and Olympic champions have grown up there, whose memory must be preserved. Popov also sees the refusal in a broader context of the attitude towards sports infrastructure and history, recalling the fate of other significant club facilities."We don't just want to have a stop. We want to remember and be respected for what we have achieved in sports", Aleksandar Popov stated emphatically.

The positions of the fan faction and a representative like Aleksandar Popov clearly show that the problem with the metro station's name seriously concerns the entire CSKA sports community and is perceived as an encroachment on the club's history and identity. The upcoming protest on May 22 is emerging as the main form of expressing this unified dissatisfaction.