The Italian star of CSKA Stefano Sensi clearly won the vote of the „red“ supporters for „Player of the Match“ after the dramatic rematch against the Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.
Despite the dramatic 1:3 loss at the „Vasil Levski“ National Stadium, the „army“ eliminated their rival with an aggregate score of 4:3 thanks to their 3:0 victory in the first match. The key goal in Sofia, which guaranteed the calm of Hristo Yanev's team and the qualification for the play-off phase, was the work of the former Inter ace in the 66th minute.
Categorical recognition from the “red“ community
In the traditional poll on the club's official channels, the supporters appreciated the midfielder's dedication. Stefano Sensi won a huge part of the fans' votes, taking into account his tactical maturity and composure in the finishing shot, which came after an assist from James Eto'o. The goal turned out to be invaluable, as just three minutes later an own goal by goalkeeper Fyodor Lapukhov made it 1:3, setting up a heart-stopping final minutes for the Bulgarian team. Thanks to the overall success, CSKA secured European club battles at least until Christmas, and in the next stage they will face the Greek OFI Crete.
The hero's reaction: “We went through this as a real team“
Shortly after the match, the Italian playmaker turned to the audience and on social networks to share his emotions from the tough clash. Sensi did not hide that the second leg was an exceptional test, but he put an emphasis on the team:
“It was a difficult match and we knew it. We went through this difficult test together as a real team and in the end we achieved a result that is important for everyone! I am extremely happy with the classification. Our fans create a great atmosphere, we can only thank them. Now we need to recover and continue to work hard.
Head coach Hristo Yanev also noted that despite the mistakes made and the pressure from Maccabi Tel Aviv, the big goal has been achieved. CSKA is already thinking about the upcoming championship match on Sunday, before heading to the decisive playoffs to enter the actual group stage of the Europa League.