Viv Solomon-Otabor: The Player Who Took a Risk With Bulgaria Move

Viv Solomon-Otabor in action for CSKA Sofia. ‘The hardest part is that I am alone,’ the former Birmingham City player says. Photograph: Sportal.bg
Viv Solomon-Otabor in action for CSKA Sofia. ‘The hardest part is that I am alone,’ the former Birmingham City player says. Photograph: Sportal.bg
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Viv Solomon-Otabor: The Player Who Took a Risk With Bulgaria Move

Viv Solomon-Otabor in action for CSKA Sofia. ‘The hardest part is that I am alone,’ the former Birmingham City player says. Photograph: Sportal.bg
Viv Solomon-Otabor in action for CSKA Sofia. ‘The hardest part is that I am alone,’ the former Birmingham City player says. Photograph: Sportal.bg

When Viv Solomon-Otabor stepped off the plane after returning from his first international call-up, his phone would not stop buzzing. The messages were not ones of congratulations for being part of the Nigeria squad that had faced Brazil but about the shocking racism at England’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Bulgaria.

London-born Solomon-Otabor left Birmingham City for CSKA Sofia last summer in search of a new adventure after seven years at St Andrew’s. The midfielder’s early experiences in Bulgaria were enjoyable and the football was going so well he was called up by Nigeria for that friendly in Singapore. Since England’s visit to Sofia last October, however, the 24-year-old’s time in the country has been repeatedly soured by racist abuse, leaving him isolated.

Monkey chants were aimed at England players, resulting in the game being stopped twice and a large group of home supporters being ejected. Uefa fined Bulgaria £65,000 and forced the national team to play two games behind closed doors (one suspended for two years). Solomon-Otabor has since been targeted by fans of CSKA Sofia and other Bulgarian clubs with monkey chants and via racist messages on social media.

“I didn’t watch the game but the moment I got off the plane my phone started buzzing,” Solomon-Otabor says. “Everyone was like: ‘Is this what you go through?’, ‘You need to come home’, ‘You need to get out of there’. I was surprised because it’s happened but up until that I had never experienced it; I had never heard it or seen it. When England came, it was just some stupid people. It is just ignorant people who don’t have knowledge or education. I had never experienced it and was never conscious of it.”

During a cup tie at Arda in early December, Solomon-Otabor was the victim of monkey chants from home fans. The stadium announcer called for the abuse to stop, saying the game would otherwise be abandoned. Arda were fined €18,000. “I was warming up when I was racially abused by the Arda fans, so that was quite difficult,” Solomon-Otabor says. “I keep getting abusive messages, which is not nice. A fan told me to go home and I can’t say the words that he said.”

Solomon-Otabor spends much of his free time at home in Sofia because of the regularity of the abuse, focusing on training and playing before returning to his flat for the remainder of the day. Although he has not suffered racism while out in the city, Solomon-Otabor does not want to put himself at risk.

“The hardest part is that I am alone. I’ve not lived in another country before and not feeling too comfortable when being out because of what happened to me on the pitch. That is the most difficult thing. I tend to just keep to myself and stay at home.

“I have had no problems on the streets or anything like that. I think it’s just a mental thing; it’s just how it is. In the club everyone is fantastic. It’s a great club with great history. Everyone at the club is proud of it and really respect the club, so it’s massive to them. Everyone is nice and welcoming but there are stupid people who ruin these things, which is not nice for a young boy coming from England. I have never gone through something like this where you do not feel comfortable.”

Solomon-Otabor feels he has become a target for locals regardless of his attitude or performance. Insults via social media have included being called the N-word and being sent monkey emojis. As a black English player in Bulgaria, it appears he has become the target for those looking to avenge the punishment that followed the Euro 2020 qualifier.

“I get sent silly, racial messages on Facebook. I try not to look any more. There are ones when they message you, you open the request and see a message and think: ‘Here we go.’ Now I just block them and move on.”

CSKA Sofia have offered constant support to Solomon-Otabor. In a statement in December they said: “We stand firmly behind our football player Viv Solomon-Otabor, who has been attacked and insulted on this basis in our recent matches.” The club, however, were fined €19,000 at the start of March for their fans racially abusing the Tsarko Sofia midfielder Dylan Bahamboula during a match.

Coming back from Singapore was supposed to be a time of celebration for Solomon-Otabor, having proved his bold decision to head to Bulgaria had paid dividends by earning international recognition. To be part of a group facing Brazil was a career highlight, even if he failed to make it off the bench.

“It was surreal to be in the squad and in training. I was very excited and happy but when I got there I knew it was business. I trained and performed well – it was just unfortunate I didn’t get on the pitch. I assume another opportunity will come. Obviously, seeing world-class players like Neymar and Coutinho, alongside talented youngsters like Jesus and Casemiro, it was a very exciting moment for me personally and a very proud moment for my family.”

In Bulgaria, as in most places, things are on hold but Solomon-Otabor is aiming to refocus on football soon enough. “My hopes now are just to continue working hard to play and to see what happens. I just want to progress and go higher.”

(The Guardian)



Leipzig Signs Bakayoko, Maksimovic and Diomande in Triple-Transfer Blitz

Leganes' Yan Diomande, center, and Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior fight for the ball during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Leganes at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, March 29, 2025. (AP)
Leganes' Yan Diomande, center, and Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior fight for the ball during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Leganes at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, March 29, 2025. (AP)
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Leipzig Signs Bakayoko, Maksimovic and Diomande in Triple-Transfer Blitz

Leganes' Yan Diomande, center, and Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior fight for the ball during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Leganes at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, March 29, 2025. (AP)
Leganes' Yan Diomande, center, and Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior fight for the ball during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Leganes at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, March 29, 2025. (AP)

Three in one day.

Leipzig has delivered a statement of intent for the new Bundesliga season by signing Belgium winger Johan Bakayoko, Serbia midfielder Andrija Maksimovic, and Ivory Coast youth international Yan Diomande all on the same day.

The 22-year-old Bakayoko's arrival from PSV Eindhoven was the last of the three announced by Leipzig on Wednesday, following that of the 18-year-old Maksimovic from Red Star Belgrade and Diomande, also 18, from Spanish second-division team Leganés.

All three players signed deals through June 2030, the Bundesliga club said.

Bakayoko, who had also been a target for Bayer Leverkusen, will wear the number 9 at Leipzig.

“We have had Johan Bakayoko on our radar for a couple of years now and have tried to sign him time and again,” Leipzig sporting director Marcel Schafer said. “We’re even happier that he’s chosen to join Leipzig despite many teams vying for his signature.”

Bakayoko helped PSV to back-to-back Dutch league titles with nine goals in 30 league appearances last season, and 12 in 33 the season before.

“With his power, explosiveness, pace and eye for goal, he’ll improve our play down the right wing and has his strengths both on and off the ball,” Schafer said.

Maksimovic made his professional debut aged 16 in Serbia, then Champions League debut and Serbia debut a year later. He has already played eight games for the national team.

“We’ve followed his progress closely during his first season at senior level and are convinced he’s already ready to take the next step,” Schafer said of Maksimovic.

Diomande spent just one season at Leganes after moving from Florida-based club AS Frenzi. He made his league debut against Real Madrid and scored two goals in 10 La Liga appearances for Leganes, which was relegated at the end of the season.

“He’s a left winger with outstanding pace, strong dribbling, athleticism and a real eye for goal. On top of that, he never gives up on a ball and plays with great team spirit. With these qualities, he fits perfectly into the type of football we want to play this season,” Schafer said.

Leipzig missed out on European qualification last season and will be targeting a top-4 finish in the Bundesliga to reach the lucrative Champions League.

Yussuf Poulsen, who joined Leipzig when it was still in Germany’s third division in 2013, has left for promoted Hamburger SV. Other players, including Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda, are also candidates to leave.

Leipzig was founded in 2009 when energy drinks manufacturer Red Bull bought and rebranded fifth-tier club SSV Markranstadt and financed its rise through the lower divisions.