Antalya to host friendly match between Bulgaria, Shakhtar Donetsk

The Mediterranean resort city of Antalya will host a friendly football match between Bulgaria and Shakhtar Donetsk on Friday, the Bulgarian Football Union, or BFU, said Wednesday.

The game between UEFA Cup champion Shakhtar and the Bulgarian national football team will take place at the city’s Atatürk Stadium.

The newly announced event comes after Bolivia pulled out of traveling to Sofia for Saturday’s planned friendly game, with the South Americans citing “economic reasons” as the cause, the Sofia news agency reported on its Web site Wednesday.

Part of a long saga, the Bolivia friendly was actually the second option after Northern Ireland had earlier cancelled the originally planned fixture in Sofia, the news report said.

Bulgaria’s national team is still on schedule to visit Malta on Nov. 18 for what has now become its next international friendly fixture.

Aston Villa player Stiliyan Petrov rejoined his Bulgarian teammates Wednesday in preparation for the clash with the UEFA Cup holder, reported the Sofia Echo. Petrov is recovering from an Achilles strain, and received special treatment in Birmingham.

In light of his condition, Petrov’s health will not be risked against Shakhtar, according to Stanimir Stoilov, Bulgaria’s national coach.

Petrov will remain in the camp, however, and is likely to play in Bulgaria’s second friendly against Malta.