Soccer-Bulgarian champions want game replayed in refereeing row

* Ludogorets want replay despite 1-0 win at Botev

 * Bulgarian FA to consider unprecedented move

 * Clubs say Ludogorets receive favourable treatment from refs

 SOFIA, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Bulgarian champions Ludogorets want Wednesday's league match at Botev Plovdiv, which they won 1-0, to be replayed after the game was overshadowed by controversial refereeing decisions.

 "We'll submit an official letter to the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) on Monday," Ludogorets' executive director Angel Petrichev told reporters on Saturday.

 Ludogorets, fiercely criticised by other clubs, fans and media over perceived favourable treatment from referees, said they hoped to dispel any doubt about the integrity of their results.

 "We want to defend our honour as no club has been attacked as they attack us now," Petrichev said. "Otherwise, any referee will be afraid to officiate a Ludogorets match from now on.

 "We're ready to play the game once again at any time and with referees chosen by Botev, though we're adamant that we won deservedly on Wednesday."

 Most observers in local media supported the idea of a replay, and some recalled the replayed game between Arsenal and Sheffield United in the 1998-99 English FA Cup after Arsenal scored what was called an "unsporting" goal.

 Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger offered United the opportunity to replay the match, which Arsenal won 2-1.

 "We're aware that the regulations do not allow such a thing as there is no formal breach of the rules. However, this is an unprecedented move and we hope that the BFU will take into account the desire of the two teams," said Petrichev.

 Botev said in a statement: "We are ready to submit an application to the BFU if Ludogorets do the same."

 OFFICIALS SUSPENDED

 The BFU said it is ready to consider allowing a match to be replayed. "In principle, there should be no replay," said BFU's vice-president Atanas Furnadzhiev.

 "But this could happen if the two clubs request a replay, and then the (BFU's) sports and technical committee will meet to handle the case."

 Referee Tasko Taskov and his assistants, Tsvetan Trifonov and Valentin Dobrev, have been suspended with immediate effect after BFU president Borislav Mihaylov personally demanded the sanction less than 24 hours after the tense affair in Plovdiv. [ID: nL4N0993XY]

 Botev, who slipped to sixth place after the defeat, appealed against the refereeing, saying the officials influenced the outcome of the game.

 The two-times Bulgarian champions said Taskov wrongly disallowed a goal scored by their striker Ivan Tsvetkov and failed to award a penalty when Ludogorets' Ivory Coast winger Franck Guela handled the ball in the penalty area.

 Angry Botev supporters will protest in front of the BFU's headquarters on Thursday, calling for president Mihaylov's resignation. The Plovdiv-based fans flooded online forums with insults while Taskov's obituary was posted on a Facebook account.

 Ludogorets, based in Razgrad, a town with a population of less than 35,000, were playing in the Balkan country's third division two and a half years ago, but clinched a maiden league title and domestic treble last season. They have not had a penalty given against them in their last 52 games.