Article by Andrei Crăiţoiu – published Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 12:52 / Updated Wednesday, May 21, 2025 12:52
The national team of Romania meets for two more matches of the preliminaries for next year's World Championship in the United States, Canada and Mexico. On June 7, the first representative will play in Vienna with Austria, then on June 10, in Bucharest with Cyprus.
In an exclusive interview with the Sports Gazette, in the show “Ovidiu's friends”, the national team, Mircea Lucescu, said they are emotions with Dennis Man.
The Parma footballer has accused a problem at Achilles' tendon, and Lucescu revealed that he was waiting for Thursday to see if Man will return to the normal training program and will not accuse any pain.
VIDEO. Mircea Lucescu: “Dennis Man had a problem at Achille's tendon”
“There are problems! It's a situation where something happens from week to week. That's why I wait until the last moment to give the players for the two matches,” says Lucescu.
“Of course, both matches are extremely important, especially the one with Austria. They start in competition with this match. After March, some unfavorable moments intervened. Players who were injured, players who played less. But I hope that when they come to the national team they will look quite different, because they are boys of character and are players who hold a lot to the national team”, The coach pointed out.
He revealed that Dennis Man also has a medical problem, but hopes to be on the field on “Ernst-Happel” in Vienna.
“I talked to him in the morning. He had a problem at Achilles' tendon, but it is for healing. On Thursday he said he was normal with the team.”says Lucescu.
Dennis Man has four goals and five decisive passes at Parma this season / Photo: Imago
If he hopes to be recovered, his colleague from Parma has no chance: “Mihăilă is in restoration. He is a speed player, a player who had muscle problems, but this time he trains. For two weeks he trains.”
In a telephone discussion he had with Mircea Lucescu, Valentin Mihăilă revealed to the coach that he hopes to be on the field in the match with Atalanta, the last of the current season in Italy.
He hopes that for the last match he will already be on the list or even play. We then still have enough days until the match with Austria
Mircea Lucescu, the coach of the national team
Radical decision taken by Mircea Lucescu: “I do not think to use them”
Mircea Lucescu revealed in the interview he gave to Ovidiu Ioanițoaia that at this moment in the national team “it is a very serious problem with the ability of the players to cope with a game.”
“I bet on their extraordinary desire to be part of the national team, the possibility of recovering one hundred percent. Because if they are not recovered one hundred percent, I don't even think of using them. Their homogeneity is very important at this level, given that you have the team at only 3-4 workouts. You need homogeneity, which came due to their games together, over the years, ”said Mircea Lucescu.
The coach also gave details about his visit to Italy, at Parma, and the discussions he had with Cristian Chivu.
“When I was in Italy they did not allow Mihăilă to recover in Romania. It is normal to remain under their control. I'll try to talk to Cristi Chivu. If he does not think to use him in this match, leave him, to enter a training program for the match with Austria. The match knocks on the door, for sure. It's an important match ”said Il Luce.
The problem is that we do not have many other possibilities to replace these players. And that is why their desire to be present will be great. The fact that throughout this period those who are injured complete their training at my request. So that their presence at the national team is useful from all points of view
Mircea Lucescu, the coach of the national team
