CSKA Sofia executive director Ventsi Zhivkov informed Bulgarian media that the club's managing board will stand behind Lyuboslav Penev as head coach of the team in the future but only if Penev resolves his problems with the authorities, Sportal reported on December 2 2009.

Penev was banned from travelling to England for the UEFA Europa League group stages match against Fulham on December 3 in London by the Bourgas administrative court. On November 20, the Black Sea city of Bourgas issued a court order freezing Penev’s property and company assets worth more than 2.3 million leva. Meanwhile, his team have no chance of further contention in the tournament, having collected just one point from four matches.

"This is a problem which concerns Penev alone, and as such, it is not CSKA's problem. I hope that the issue will be resolved and that he will remain with us," said Zhivkov. "Nothing dramatic has happened; such things occur from time to time. He has given his players and his coaching staff final instructions for the clash in England. We are hoping that he will be around with us the next time CSKA travels abroad," Zhivkov said

The vote of confidence comes immediately after speculation surfaced in Bulgarian language mass-circulation daily Trud that Penev is expected to leave the club after the December 6 encounter with Chernomorets.

According to the newspaper, "Penev will announce his departure by the end of the week following the league clash against Chernomorets, whereupon his position will be assumed by Radi Zdravkov".