Zhivko Milanov

Zhivko Milanov

Milanov as Levski assistant coach in 2020
Personal information
Full name	Zhivko Kirilov Milanov
Date of birth	(1984-07-15) 15 July 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth	Sofia, Bulgaria
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Right back
Youth career
1993–2003	Levski Sofia
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2009	Levski Sofia	122	(8)
2010–2013	Vaslui	104	(1)
2013–2015	Tom Tomsk	55	(1)
2015	Levski Sofia	12	(1)
2016–2019	APOEL	50	(0)
2019–2020	Levski Sofia	34	(1)
Total		377	(12)
International career
2001	Bulgaria U16	3	(0)
2002	Bulgaria U19	2	(0)
2003–2005	Bulgaria U21	13	(0)
2006–2016	Bulgaria	28	(0)
Managerial career
2020–2021	Levski Sofia (assistant)
2021	Levski Sofia
2022–2023	Lokomotiv Sofia (assistant)
2023	Botev Plovdiv (assistant)
2023–2024	Krumovgrad (assistant)
2024	Levski Sofia (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Zhivko Milanov (Bulgarian: Живко Миланов; born 15 July 1984) is a Bulgarian former professional footballer.

He was primarily deployed as a right back, but when needed he could also operate on the left side. Milanov was capped 28 times for the Bulgaria national team.

Milanov spent the majority of his playing career at Levski Sofia, but he also had several stints abroad at Vaslui, Tom Tomsk and APOEL.

After ending his playing career, in 2021 he became an assistant manager of Levski, later also spending some time as head coach of the club.^[1]

Career

Levski Sofia

Milanov made his league debut in 2003. With Levski Sofia he reached the quarter finals of UEFA Cup in 2005–06. Next season, Levski Sofia reached the group-stage of UEFA Champions League, becoming the first Bulgarian team to do so.

He became a Champion of Bulgaria in 2009.

Vaslui

Milanov joined Vaslui on 14 January 2010 on a 2+1⁄2-year contract. The deal was reported by media to be worth $350,000.^[2] He was seen as the perfect substitute for Vaslui's captain Buhuș, whose long-term injury would keep him out from the field for the rest of the season.^[3] He made his league debut against Gaz Metan Mediaş, wearing the number 20 for Vaslui.^[4] He did not missed a single match for his new team, and helped Vaslui finishing third in Liga I,^[5] and reaching the Romanian Cup final, eventually lost at the penalty shootout.^[6] After Buhuș's departure, he established himself as Vaslui's first-choice right back.^[7]

On 23 July 2010, in Liga I's opening match, Milanov received his first red card since his arrival in Vaslui.^[8] Following Luz's long term-injury and Bălace's bad shape, Milanov was sent to play on the left side. However, because of Papp's unsuccessful try out on the right side, Milanov was sent back on his favourite position.^[9] In his second season in Vaslui, he ended third in Liga I, after a long battle, between Oţelul Galaţi, Poli Timişoara and SC Vaslui, for their first championship.^[10]

On 23 July 2011, Milanov received his second red card, in Vaslui's opening match against Rapid București.^[11] On 19 August, he scored his first goal for Vaslui, against Sparta Prague helping his team qualify for the first time to the UEFA Europa League's Group Stages.^[12]

Tom Tomsk

After his contract with Vaslui expired, Milanov joined Russian Premier League club Tom Tomsk on a free transfer on 24 June 2013.^[13] He signed a two-year contract.

Return to Levski Sofia

Milanov returned to Levski Sofia in early September 2015 and played for the Blues during the autumn part of the 2015–16 A Group, receiving praise for his performance.^[14]

APOEL

On 30 December 2015, Milanov signed an 18-month contract with Cypriot First Division champions APOEL.^[15] He made his debut on 10 January 2016, playing the full 90 minutes in APOEL's 2–1 away victory against Aris Limassol for the Cypriot First Division.^[16] A few months after joining APOEL, he crowned champion as his team managed to win the Cypriot First Division title for a fourth time in the row.^[17][18]

On 2 March 2017, Milanov signed a two-year contract extension with APOEL, running until 31 May 2019.^[19]

Third stint at Levski Sofia and retirement

After agreeing with APOEL to rescind his contract, Milanov returned again to Levski Sofia. On 11 February 2019 he signed a 1,5-year contract with the club.^[20]

On 23 June 2020, Milanov played his last professional match against Lokomotiv Plovdiv in a semi-final Cup tie, finishing 0-0. After the match, he stated that a lung disease made him retire on the age of 35.^[21]

International career

Milanov started playing for the Bulgaria national team in 2006, and has been capped 28 times during his international career. He announced his retirement from the national team on 21 March 2017, at the age of 32.^[22]

Career statistics

Club

As of 20 June 2019^[23][24][25]

Club	Season	Division	League		Cup		Europe		Other[a]		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Levski Sofia	2002–03	A Group	4	0	1	0	0	0	—		5	0
	2003–04		3	0	1	0	1	0	—		5	0
	2004–05		20	1	4	0	4	0	—		28	1
	2005–06		19	1	2	0	9	0	0	0	30	1
	2006–07		18	1	1	0	8	0	1	0	28	1
	2007–08		25	3	3	1	2	0	1	0	31	4
	2008–09		23	2	4	0	4	0	—		31	2
	2009–10		10	0	1	1	8	0	0	0	19	1
	Total		122	8	17	2	36	0	2	0	177	10
Vaslui	2009–10	Liga I	17	0	3	0	—		—		20	0
	2010–11		30	0	1	0	2	0	—		33	0
	2011–12		27	0	2	0	10	1	—		39	1
	2012–13		30	1	1	0	3	0	—		34	1
	Total		104	1	7	0	15	1	—		126	2
Tom Tomsk	2013–14	Premier Liga	28	0	3	0	—		2[b]	0	33	0
	2014–15	1.Division	27	1	0	0	—		2[c]	0	29	1
	Total		55	1	3	0	—		4	0	62	1
Levski Sofia	2015–16	A Group	12	1	2	0	—		—		14	1
	Total		12	1	2	0	—		—		14	1
APOEL	2015–16	Cypriot First Division	16	0	6	0	—		—		22	0
	2016–17		27	0	5	0	16	0	1	0	49	0
	2017–18		2	0	0	0	6	0	0	0	8	0
	2018–19		5	0	0	0	6	0	0	0	11	0
	Total		50	0	11	0	28	0	1	0	90	0
Levski Sofia	2018–19	First League	11	1	0	0	0	0	—		11	1
	2019–20		23	0	4	0	3	0	—		30	0
	Total		34	1	4	0	3	0	—		41	1
Career total			377	12	44	2	82	1	7	0	510	15

1. Appearances in Bulgarian Supercup and Cypriot Super Cup.
2. Appearances in Russian Premier League relegation play-offs.
3. Appearances in Russian National Football League promotion play-offs.

International

As of 7 October 2016^[25]

Bulgaria
Year	Apps	Goals
2006	1	0
2007	2	0
2008	6	0
2009	5	0
2010	6	0
2011	3	0
2015	2	0
2016	3	0
Total	28	0

Honours

Levski Sofia

• A PFG (3): 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09^[23][24][25]
• Bulgarian Cup (3): 2002–03, 2004–05, 2006–07^[23][24][25]
• Bulgarian Supercup (3): 2005, 2007, 2009^[23][24]

APOEL

• Cypriot First Division (4): 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19^[23][24][25]

References

1. "Наско няма да пипа Живко Миланов" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
2. "Milanov vine la Vaslui" (in Romanian). GSP. 13 January 2010.
3. "Buhus: Mi-e dor de fotbal" (in Romanian). GSP. 4 March 2010.
4. "Vasluiul tinut in sah la Medias" (in Romanian). Onlinesport. 21 February 2010.
5. "Vasluiul prinde podiumul" (in Romanian). Onlinesport. 22 May 2010. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012.
6. "CFR castiga cupa" (in Romanian). Onlinesport. 27 May 2010. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012.
7. "Buhus si-a reziliat contractul cu FC Vaslui" (in Romanian). Adevarul. 13 July 2010.
8. "Cap si spada" (in Romanian). Prosport. 23 July 2010.
9. "Papp a fost marginalizat" (in Romanian). Vremea Noua. 1 March 2011.
10. "Si-au respectat blazonul" (in Romanian). Vremea Noua. 23 May 2011.
11. "Start cu stangul" (in Romanian). Adevarul. 23 July 2011.
12. "Moldovenii au detonat bomba" (in Romanian). Evenimentul Zilei. 19 August 2011. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
13. "Живко Миланов подписа с Том Томск" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 24 June 2013.
14. "Шансовете Джеки Чан да остане намаляват". 7sport.net. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
15. Κατ' αρχήν συμφωνία με Zhivko Milanov (in Greek). apoelfc.com.cy. 30 December 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
16. "Aris Limassol 1-2 APOEL". apoelfc.com.cy. 10 January 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
17. "APOEL clinch record 25th title in Cyprus". UEFA. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
18. "APOEL vs. AEK Larnaca 2 – 0". Soccerway. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
19. "Επέκταση συνεργασίας με τον Zhivko Milanov". APOEL FC. 2 March 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
20. "Левски подписа с Живко Миланов" (in Bulgarian). levski.bg. 11 February 2019.
21. "Живко Миланов спира с футбола заради заболяване на белия дроб (ВИДЕО)" (in Bulgarian). btvnovinite.bg. 23 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
22. Живко Миланов разкри каква е причината да се откаже от националния
23. "Z. Milanov – Soccerway profile". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
24. Zhivko Milanov at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
25. "Milanov, Zhivko – NFT profile". national football teams. Retrieved 30 December 2015.

External links

• Zhivko Milanov at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
• APOEL official profile
• Profile at LevskiSofia.info
• Zhivko Milanov at Soccerway
• Zhivko Milanov at National-Football-Teams.com