Fine threat for Tottenham striker

By European Football
October 10 2006

Bulgaria striker Dimitar Berbatov has been threatened with a fine following his comments about Bulgarian Football Union vice-chief Iordan Lechkov.

The Tottenham Hotspur goal ace reacted angrily to a perceived jibe made by Lechkov following the nation's 1-1 draw against the Netherlands on Saturday in a Euro 2008 qualifier.

"Some of the team leaders didn't give everything they can give," Lechkov said, to which Berbatov replied: ""If he (Lechkov) thinks so, we should let him play."

The comment from the former Bayer Leverkuen player was out of character, but he is expected to be punished nonetheless.

"He will be fined for his remarks in accordance with the regulations," said Lechkov. "But don't expect me to tell you the amount of the fine."

Berbatov is somewhat of a national icon, and his effort has never been brought into question before. Indeed, he played for more than an hour in Bulgaria's 2-2 draw with Romania last month after a pain-killing injection.

Bulgaria have five points from three games in their qualification campaign and currently lie in third place in Group G.