Georgi Milanov (footballer)

Georgi Ventsislavov Milanov (Bulgarian: Георги Венциславов Миланов; born 19 February 1992) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays for the Bulgarian national team as a central midfielder.[2] His twin brother Iliya Milanov plays as a defender.

In this Bulgarian name, the patronymic is Ventsislavov and the family name is Milanov.

Georgi Milanov
Milanov with CSKA Moscow in November 2015
Personal information
Full name Georgi Ventsislavov Milanov
Date of birth (1992-02-19) 19 February 1992
Place of birth Levski, Bulgaria
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)[1]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Free Agent
Youth career
2005–2009 Litex Lovech
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2013 Litex Lovech 106 (28)
2013–2018 CSKA Moscow 99 (5)
2016 → Grasshoppers (loan) 11 (0)
2018–2020 MOL Fehérvár 42 (4)
2021–2023 Levski Sofia 41 (4)
2023 Al Dhafra 14 (0)
International career‡
2010 Bulgaria U19 3 (1)
2010–2013 Bulgaria U21 10 (2)
2011– Bulgaria 47 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 06:18, 17 May 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 June 2020

Club career

Litex Lovech
Milanov with Litex in 2010

Born in Levski, Pleven Province, Milanov began playing football at the local club, before joined the Litex Lovech Academy, together with his twin brother Iliya, in 2005.[3] He was part of a group of young players at the club who guided the club to win the Bulgarian U-17 Championship in June 2009, with Milanov scoring in the final against Levski Sofia.[4]

On 1 August 2009, Milanov made his first team debut, at 17 years 152 days, coming off the bench in the 2009 Bulgarian Supercup against Levski Sofia, which ended in a 1–0 defeat at Vasil Levski National Stadium. A week later, he made his league debut against Lokomotiv Mezdra, scoring the opening goal in a 5–0 victory.[5] On 3 December, he scored his first ever Bulgarian Cup goal, in a 4–0 win over Pirin Gotse Delchev which sent them through to the 1/8 finals. Milanov play regularly in his first season, making 31 appearances in all competitions and collected his first A PFG title winner's medal at the end of the 2009–10 season.

On 14 August 2010, in a 2–1 home victory over Pirin Blagoevgrad, Milanov netted his first goal of 2010–11 season.[6] He ended his second season with 5 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions. Milanov helped Litex retain the A PFG title by a 3-point margin after being pushed by Levski Sofia for much of the season.

In 2011–12 season, Milanov scored 6 goals in 25 league matches. On 24 May 2012, he was credited with the ABF A PFG Young Player of the Season award, by the professional footballers association of Bulgaria.[7]

On 19 August 2012, Milanov scored his first goal of 2012–13 season in a 1–1 away draw against Lokomotiv Plovdiv. On 27 October, he scored his first ever hat-trick in the A PFG, against Montana, in a 3–1 victory at Ogosta Stadium; he scored from a penalty kick and a two free-kicks.[8] On 27 December 2012, he became the youngest ever recipient of the Bulgarian Footballer of the Year award.[9] On 30 March 2013, as a result of injuries to regular captains Nebojša Jelenković and Nikolay Bodurov, Milanov captained Litex for the first time against Botev Vratsa in a 5–1 home win.[10] On 14 April, he played his 100th match for Litex in the league in a 2–1 away loss against Slavia Sofia.[11]

CSKA Moscow

On 5 July 2013, Milanov signed with Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow[12] on a five-year deal for an initial fee of 5,4 million leva, with a further 2 million leva depending on CSKA appearances in the UEFA competitions in the next two years.[13] He was given the number 23 jersey. He made his official debut on 18 August 2013, in the 1–0 home win over Kuban Krasnodar in a league match after coming on as a late substitute for Keisuke Honda.[14] Although having had trouble fitting into the club at start, Milanov is improving at a fast rate according to head coach Leonid Slutsky, resulting in him becoming a regular starter plus in him receiving playing time in important European matches in the group stages of the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League. He provided his first assist in a 4–1 home win over Terek Grozny; it was the opening goal of the match netted by teammate Seydou Doumbia.

Milanov scored his first official goal for CSKA Moscow in a game against FC Zenit Saint Petersburg on 16 March 2014 – a long range effort that eventually won the game for his team; being the only goal scored in the whole match. His classy goal didn't go unnoticed, as he was voted player of the week for matchday 21 in the Russian Premier League.

For the 2016–17 season, Milanov received the number 8 jersey upon his return from Grasshopper. He scored his first goal of the season in a 0–1 away win against FC Ural, saving his team from a 0–0 draw in the last seconds of the game.

Upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2017–18 season, he left CSKA as a free agent.[15]

Grasshoppers loan

On 16 February 2016, CSKA Moscow announced that Milanov had joined Swiss Super League side Grasshopper Club Zürich on loan for the remainder of the season.[16]

Fehérvár

On 3 September 2018, he joined Hungarian club Fehérvár FC.[17] He made his debut on 15 September in a 2–1 away loss against Puskás Akadémia FC. He scored his first goal for the club on 23 September in a 0–2 win against Cigánd SE, in a match for the Magyar Kupa. On 8 November 2018, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 home win against PAOK in a Europa League match.

On 21 July 2020, Milanov left Fehérvár on mutual agreement.[18]

Levski Sofia

After more than a year without a club, Milanov joined Levski Sofia on 29 July 2021, signing a one-year contract with the club.[19]

International career
Milanov in 2012

Milanov was called up to the Bulgaria under-21 team for the first time in February 2010, making his competitive debut on 3 March, in a 0–2 loss against Montenegro U21.

Milanov was called up to the senior Bulgaria squad for the first time in September 2011, and made his full international debut in a friendly against Ukraine at Valeriy Lobanovskyi Dynamo Stadium on 7 October, playing 24 minutes as a substitute of a 3–0 loss for Bulgaria. On 7 September 2012, Milanov scored his first international goal in a 2–2 home draw against Italy during 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying.[20]

On 28 March 2015 Milanov made an assist for the Bulgarian national team during the 2–2 draw with Italy.[21]

Career statistics

Club
As of 6 September 2022[2]
Club Season Division League Cup Europe Other[22] Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Litex Lovech 2009–10 A Group 272211010314
2010–11 274315010365
2011–12 256206010346
2012–13 271663––3319
Total 106281351203013434
CSKA Moscow 2013–14 Russian Premier League 221406000321
2014–15 282306010352
2015–16 180208000280
2016–17 182116010263
2017–18 1301010000240
Total 995111360201456
Grasshoppers (loan) 2015–16 Swiss Super League 11000––110
Fehérvár 2018–19 Nemzeti Bajnokság I 241726100374
2019–20 183604000283
Total 42413210100657
Levski Sofia 2021–22 First League 23252–00284
2022–23 61003011102
Total 293523011386
Career Total 2874042106116139353

International
As of match played 12 June 2022
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Bulgaria 201110
201281
201370
201461
201560
201660
201740
201830
201910
202010
202100
202240
Total472

International goals
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.7 September 2012Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria Italy2–22–22014 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.5 March 2014Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria Belarus1–02–1Friendly

Honours

Club
Litex
CSKA Moscow
MOL Vidi
Levski Sofia

Individual

References
  1. "Профил на Георги Венциславов Миланов" (in Bulgarian). fpleague.bg. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  2. "Georgi Milanov Facts". Soccerway.
  3. "Георги Миланов – новото лице на българския футбол" (in Bulgarian). pfclitex.com. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  4. "Литекс стана шампион при юношите младша" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
  5. "Lokomotiv Mezdra 0–5 Litex". soccerway.com. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
  6. "Litex 2–1 Pirin". soccerway.com. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
  7. "Георги Миланов избран за най-добър млад футболист" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  8. "Георги Миланов с хеттрик за Литекс от статични положения" (in Bulgarian). monitor.bg. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  9. "Milanov becomes Bulgaria's youngest Footballer of Year". London: guardian.co.uk. 21 April 2008. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  10. "Литекс без милост срещу Ботев, громи врачани с 5:1" (in Bulgarian). pfclitex.com. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  11. "Жоро Миланов закова 100 мача в "А" група" (in Bulgarian). novsport.com. 15 April 2013.
  12. "Bulgaria's Young Football Star Milanov Officially Signs CSKA Moscow". novinite.com. 5 July 2013.
  13. "Георги Миланов в ЦСКА Москва срещу 7,4 милиона лева" (in Bulgarian). pfclitex.com. 5 July 2013. Archived from the original on 9 July 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  14. "Georgi Milanov match log". soccerway.com. September 2013.
  15. "Георгий Миланов покинул ПФК ЦСКА" (in Russian). PFC CSKA Moscow. 14 May 2018.
  16. "Milanov in Grasshopper loan switch". en.pfc-cska.com. CSKA Moscow. 16 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  17. "Georgi Milanov a MOL Vidi FC játékosa!" (in Hungarian). MOL Vidi FC. 3 September 2018.
  18. Георги Миланов разтрогна с МОЛ Фехервар
  19. Левски подписа с Георги Миланов
  20. "Bulgaria battle back to hold Italy". UEFA. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  21. Italy debutant Éder thwarts Bulgaria
  22. Includes other competitive competitions, including the Russian Super Cup
  23. "Top Bulgarian accolade for rising star Milanov". UEFA. 27 December 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  24. "Ето тримата най-добри футболисти в "А" група". sportal.bg. 27 December 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
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