Last update 16 March, 2020 by Alberto Llopis
Remember Lubo Penev to? Hanged by now we recover a football player who was a classic since the late 90's until the beginning of this century. Bulgarian striker of great character, able to fight the defenses and winning the game of his life after overcoming testicular cancer. A mythical for the Valencia fans that left its mark on different computers.
Lubo Penev, the Bulgarian who made history in the Spanish League
Born in 1964, the spiky front Bulgarian debut with the CSK Sofia 20 years and he played until 1989, year that would make a leap in his career by joining Valencia CF. Before this, in 1988, He had been named best Bulgarian player, which it made the Mestalla club notice him. Valencia in the 90, Lubo Penev, He was going to become a true idol for the Valencian fans, only he is eclipsed in recent seasons as Valencia by Pedja Mijatovic explosion.
From the 1989 until the 1995, Bulgarian stood followers who came to the steps of the old Mestalla known at that time as Luis Casanova. With a very temperamental character and way of speaking fluent Spanish, Penev , the parish valencianista he pocketed. In Valencia he played 6 seasons and marked 101 goals in 226 parties.
His only moon in Valencia, not win a title
He did not win any title with Valencia but coincided with templates that left much to be desired with regard to their quality. Although it was there where he won the biggest game of his life and moreover, He did by a landslide. In 1994, was diagnosed with testicular cancer that did fear for his life and that he also did miss the USA World Cup 94, but that, It was not important. With its winning character and treatment, Lubo overcame his illness and returned to the playing fields to the delight of the fans of Valencia and football in general.
In 1995, Valencia came to play for Atletico Madrid, where he marked 16 goals in one season he was there. That same season, the whole mattress won the double, in a season to remember for the team Manzanares. During that season, in a match played against “are” Valencia, being and Atletico, He assaulted the then president of the Valencia Paco Roig, which he put a black eye in images that went around all television.
He finished his career in the League in Galicia
After he moved to Compostela and Celta Vigo, where he triumphed, scoring a lot of goals and working at a great time for both sets. He played in Bulgarian 62 times and marked 13 goals. He participated in the European Championship 1996 and in the World Cup 1998, both times with little luck. In 2001, he retired in his country. After, in a curious fact he was president and later coach of CSK Sofia. He also trained Litex Lovetch, Bulgarian selection (to which he coached his uncle also) and Valencia Mestalla.