The starting lineup for the group stage included representatives from 27 nations – half of UEFA's member associations – and few embraced the competition's spirit of adventure quite like Stoicho Stoev's Ludogorets. One of nine domestic champions in the group phase, the Bulgarian side made it all the way to the round of 16 in only their second season in Europe, drawing huge crowds in Sofia – 400km from their home town – and upstaging PSV Eindhoven and SS Lazio en route to eventual defeat at the hands of Valencia.
"Nobody was thinking we would go through the group stage and we were top," midfielder Mihail Aleksandrov told UEFA.com. "We were drawn against Lazio and we thought 'It's over', but we went through." They were to fall but the season has had a happy ending with a second Bulgarian double in three years.
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