Bulgaria coach Luboslav Penev has included three uncapped players in his 25-man squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Denmark.

The domestic-based trio of Slavia Sofia defender Radoslav Dimitrov, Litex Lovech’s teenage midfielder Simeon Slavchev and Botev Plovdiv striker Todor Nedelev, who turned 20 last month, have been given the chance of winning a first cap at home to Malta on March 22 and away to Denmark four days later.

Bulgaria will play Malta at the Vasil Levski stadium behind closed doors after their fans were found guilty by FIFA of racist behaviour.

The Squad

Goalkeepers: N. Mihaylov (Twente), V. Stoyanov (Ludogorets), P. Iliev (L. Sofia).

Defenders: P. Vidanov (Z. Lubin), P. Zanev (V. Lutsk), Y. Minev (Ludogorets), R. Dimitrov (S. Sofia), N. Bodurov (L. Lovech), I. Milanov (L. Lovech), I. Ivanov (P. Belgrade), V. Minev (B. Plovdiv).

Midfielders: G. Sarmov (Kasimpasa), S. Manolev (Fulham), V. Gadzhev (L. Sofia), S. Dyakov (Ludogorets), G. Iliev (Cherno More), G. Milanov (L. Lovech), H. Zlatinski (L. Plovdiv), S. Slavchev (L.Lovech), E. Gargorov (Ludogorets).

Forwards: I. Popov (K. Krasnodar), V. Bojinov (Vicenza), I. Mitsanski (Ingolstadt), A. Tonev (L. Poznan), T. Nedelev (B. Plovdiv).

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