The University of Craiova can practically get rid of one of the contenders for the title of vice-champion this evening, after the duel with CFR Cluj, on “Ion Oblemenco”. 3 points now separate the two rivals, who occupy the 3rd and 4th places, on the second position climbing Farul, after Hagi’s team reached 4 victories in the play-off, following the success with Rapid, score 3-1.
The time of the Craiova – CFR match (9:45 p.m.) is one of the European Cups, a time when the Champions League matches were played at the time when the Transylvanians were also performing in this competition, including some players from the current batch ticking off games at the highest interclub level. On the other hand, in its history, regardless of the times, the University of Craiova has never played in the Champions League. In fact, he never had contact with the groups of any European competition. If last year it didn’t even reach the Conference League preliminaries, being overtaken at the potou even by today’s opponent, CFR Cluj, the University hopes not to repeat this year and that’s why it hired a “full” coach, Costel Gâlcă, although there are still a few stages of the championship, and it did not go to the interim, as CFR Cluj and Rapid did.
Gâlcă made his debut with the right, an away win with Sepsi, he being on his “honeymoon” in Craiova, during the period when the players are flying around, wasting energy, doing everything they can to impress their new coach. Once “fooled”, he goes along with them, convinced that he is dealing with professionals. Then they, protected by the head of the club, get rid of the coach without remorse, the average number of technicians per year being of Mittelian invoice. In a brief count, without interims, Craiova has signed no less than 8 coaches in the last 2 seasons, and the current one is not over yet.
Gâlcă is facing team problems, which he didn’t complain about, just like the last coaches didn’t either, a sign that they were told by the club that they shouldn’t do it, because it would affect the morale of the team. Reghe said that he uses “the best team from the batch he has at his disposal”, because he “has resources”. Neagoe mentioned the absences several times, but mentioned as many times that he does not complain about them. Petev told us that the absence of some players is an opportunity for others to show what they can do. Gâlcă cannot count on Mitriţă, Screciu, Koljic and Maldonado today. Without Mitriţă he won at Sepsi, Screciu has been missing for some time, Koljic has been absent for several years, so the biggest problem has become Maldonado’s injury, which will not play again this season. The Honduran is probably the best acquisition of the season, he played better and better, both defensively and in construction and in the fixed phases in the opposing box. The couple with Badelj had begun to homogenize. After his best match at Science, Maldonado got injured because an assistant grabbed the VAR and didn’t signal a kilometer offside. Gâlca has Zajkov and Raul Silva as back-ups.
The starting kick of tonight’s derby will be given symbolically by Marcel Popescu, who, until 2022, was part of the management of the club from Bănie and who is thus among the “ambassadors” of the University of Craiova. Marcel Popescu collaborated for many years with the guest team tonight, proposing in Gruia most of the footballers who brought the first titles in the CFR showcase, in 2008, 2010 and 2012. In Craiova he had more of an honorary function, because the transfer expert is “the one and only” – “Mike” Rotaru.
In the center tonight will be Istvan Kovacs, the referee who will also be at Euro 2024. This season, with Kovacs as the referee, Science has won 3 matches: with Rapid, at home, score 2-1, at Sepsi, score 3-1 , and in Iasi, score 4-1, losing in Giulesti, score 0-2. Kovacs managed 2 CFR matches: 1-0 with Petrolul and 1-0 with Hermannstadt.
This week, the performer Ionela Guzic released a new version of the anthem of the University of Craiova, the clip being filmed including “Ion Oblemenco”. The remix doesn’t sound too great, on the contrary, but at least the singer doesn’t alter the stanzas by saying that “we are from Olteni, that is, we are many”, like Ciry Mayer, in the best-known version of the anthem.
Gâlcă’s speech before the match with CFR: “We are expecting a very difficult match, from the point of view of the team that CFR has, an experienced, quality team. We have to know how to manage every moment, to be perfect in defense, to know when to press, to close the spaces. It will be a totally different match with CFR compared to what happened in the last round. The players relaxed a little after the victory against Sepsi, but they must not be relaxed at all, they must be focused. I hope to be as clear as possible, without complicating ourselves, because game relationships are built over time, not in a week or two. We hope to have a successful match, to complete the actions and win the 3 points. The quality footballer is proud and CFR will approach the match with us in a different way. They all congratulated us, but we did nothing, we only won 3 points, in the match against Sepsi. Maldonado and Koljic were injured, we will not be able to count on them in the next matches, Mitriţă and Screciu are not coming back either, there are important absences, but we have to look for solutions in our team. Maldonado was important for us, he has a slightly stretched ligament. It will not be easy to finish in 2nd place, but with a united group, with clear game ideas, we can achieve the goal. It is important, with pragmatic, simple play, with clear ideas, with defensive organization. I am thinking about how the players can sit on the field and be compatible. The conditions are beyond expectations, and I knew the players, but it’s one thing to see them on TV, it’s another to see them day by day, I hope to get a clear idea after the next matches. Mr. Rotaru demonstrated that he wants this place 2 when he called on me, and I assume the pressure of this goal. We have to be clear about what we are playing and from here we also think about the problems that the opponent poses to us, the victories give us confidence. I expect the team to have attitude, a good game, to bring the 3 points and create an emulation with the supporters. Everyone has an opinion, but for me the team is important, everyone should be praised, it also depends on how well they perform in training”.
LPF Preface:
“Eight wins, five draws and four defeats is the record recorded by the Craiova players in the current edition at home. They scored in 15 of the 17 games played as hosts, but they also conceded at least one goal in 12 of these matches. Approximately 11,700 spectators / match is the average recorded for the University of Craiova in the home matches of the current season, the 3rd place in this chapter. Since 2014, the two teams have met in the main domestic competition 37 times, 12 times Olten won, 13 times Cluj won, and another 12 games ended in a draw. The first match in the aforementioned interval took place on December 7, 2014, CFR Cluj – Universitatea Craiova 0-0. At the time, the Transylvanians were coached by Francisc Dican, while the couple Emil Săndoi – Sorin Cârţu were on the guest bench. The biggest score difference: May 26, 2016, CFR Cluj – Universitatea Craiova 4-0 (Camora, double Jakolis, Petrucci), decisive result for the visitors in missing the qualification in the European cups. The last success scored by the Cluj away team on the first stage: May 15, 2021, Craiova University – CFR Cluj 1-3. The most recent direct SuperLiga match: March 16, 2024, CFR Cluj – Craiova University 1-2, goals scored by M. Ilie, respectively St. Baiaram and Al. Mitra.”
