CSKA Sofia and Pirin Razlog met in a club friendly match on October 11, 2026, with the home side claiming a 3:2 victory. The encounter took place at 13:00 local time as both teams continued their preparations for the upcoming campaign. It was not a fixture that would alter any league standings, but the result provided a chance to assess squad depth ahead of the season.
CSKA Sofia arrived in reasonable spirits following their mixed run of results. The Bulgarians had enjoyed a 3:0 win against Beroe on March 27, before suffering three heavy defeats to rivals Levski Sofia in April. Those losses — 0:3, 1:3 and 2:3 — left the home side with some questions to answer, while their 3:2 victory over the same opposition offered a glimmer of optimism. The friendly gave the coaching staff an opportunity to see what they had in the squad beyond those high-profile encounters.
Pirin Razlog came into the match having endured a difficult patch of results. The visitors lost two consecutive matches against Lokomotiv Avia, conceding six goals without reply in those fixtures. Their only positive result in this period was a 3:0 victory over Cherno More on March 11, while defeats to Deia Volley and Neftochimik Burgas rounded out a challenging few weeks. They needed to find consistency if they were to pull themselves clear from the lower reaches of the table.
The match itself reflected the contrasting fortunes of both sides. CSKA Sofia's attacking intent showed through in the final scoreline, while Pirin Razlog's ability to score twice suggested they had not completely folded under pressure. The visitors will have taken some encouragement from their performance, even if the result went against them. There were moments in the game where Pirin looked dangerous, particularly when they found space on the counter-attack.
The result does little to change either team's position in the broader picture. CSKA Sofia will be looking to build on this performance and address the defensive frailties that cost them against Levski Sofia. Pirin Razlog face a long road ahead, but the two goals they scored may provide some confidence for the fixtures to come. Both teams have work to do before the competitive season begins in earnest.
