Bozhinov and Dimitrov return to Bulgarian squad

Bulgaria coach Hristo Stoichkov yesterday named Fiorentina striker Valeri Bozhinov and CSKA Sofia midfielder Velizar Dimitrov in his squad for World Cup qualifiers against Hungary and Malta next month.

Bozhinov had been left out of Bulgaria's last two games against Sweden and Iceland, while Dimitrov was recovering from injury.

Litex Lovech defender Mihail Venkov is also back for Bulgaria who will host the Hungarians on October 8 and visit Malta four days later.

Stoichkov will not be allowed to direct his team from the touchline, following a four-game ban by FIFA's disciplinary committee.

The Bulgarian coach received the ban for making defamatory remarks about UEFA's president Lennart Johansson after a World Cup qualifier against Sweden in Stockholm on September 3.

Stoichkov's Squad

Goalkeepers: Georgi Petkov (Levski Sofia), Dimitar Ivankov (Kayserispor).

Defenders: Radostin Kishishev (Charlton Athletic), Elin Topuzakov (Levski Sofia), Valentin Iliev (CSKA Sofia), Alexander Tuncev (Lokomotiv Plovdiv), Mihail Ven-kov (Litex Lovech), Asen Kara-slavov (Slavia).

Midfielders: Stilian Petrov (Celtic), Chavdar Iankov (Hanover), Blagoi Georgiev (Slavia), Zdravko Lazarov (Gazian-tepspor), Velizar Dimitrov (CSKA Sofia), Georgi Iliev (Lokomotiv Plovdiv), Emil Gargorov (CSKA Sofia).

Forwards: Dimitar Berbatov (Leverkusen), Martin Petrov (A. Madrid), Valeri Bozhinov (Fioren-tina), Cvetan Genkov (Lokomotiv Sofia), Martin Kamburov (Lokomotiv Plovdiv).