 On 23 August 2005, Iliev scored a goal, which helped CSKA secure a historic 1–0 away win over Liverpool in the third qualifying round of the Champions League.However, it did not help them qualify for the Champions League group phase, as the "armymen" were eliminated after an aggregate score of 2–3, having lost their home game.He developed a knack for scoring key goals for CSKA making good use of his powerful heading ability.