Article by Eduard Apostol, Liviu Manolache – published on Saturday, May 24, 2025, 16:54 / Updated on Saturday, May 24, 2025 16:54
U Cluj – Rapid It is tonight, from 6:00 pm, the last representation of the “red hats” on their own ground in this edition. Ioan Ovidiu Sabău struggles to end a remarkable season on the podium. Giulestii to save the appearances and close the season on 5. The match in stage #10 of the play-off will be livetext on gsp.ro and live at the Primasport 1 and Digisport 1.
U Cluj pulls hard to stay in the 3rd place after the last stage of the championship, Rapid – who just broke up with Marius Șumudică – wants not to give up the 5th position.
U Cluj – Rapid, live from 18:00
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Start teams at U Cluj – Rapid
U Cluj: Lefter – Artean, Masoero, I. Cristea, Oancea – P. Codrea, D. Nistor – Macalou, Factory, Thiam – Blănuță
reserves: D. Moldovan, Coșa, Mitrea, Oaid, Duck, R. Popescu, Silaghi, Bota, Mirayan
Absent: Chipciu (suspended), van der Werff, Betteib, G. Simion, Bic, I. Cristea (injured)
Coach Ioan Ovidiu Sabău
Rapid: Stolz – Manea, Ciobotariu, Bădescu, Braun – Gramen, Vulturar, Christensen – Dobre, Burmaz, R. Pop
reserves: Aioani, Briciu, Onea, P. Popa, Micovschi, Gojkovic, Ademo, A. Șucu, S. Banu, Niculcea, Petrila, Koljic
Absent: Ignat, Pașcanu, Keita (injured)
Coach Octavian Chihaia
With Igant and Pașcanu injured, the young Robert Bădescu, a left -handed defender, is used in the center of the defense. Cristi Săpunaru is not in the lot. Petrila begins on the reserve bench.
Stadium Cluj Arena
Referee George Găman (Craiova). ASSISTANT Adrian Vornicu (Iași), Daniel Ilinca (Craiova)
Lime referee Rareș Vidican (Satu Mare). Assistant lime Marius Omuț (Satu Mare)
The up-to-day ranking in the play-off
U Cluj – Rapid »” Red Hepcile “struggles to remain on the podium
Craiova is at a point behind the “red hats”, Dinamo at a point of Giulesti.
3 victoriesHe gathered U Cluj in the current season with Rapid, scoring 6 goals and only one
None of the combatants can climb, but only to defend their places in the standings, before the start of the last round of the play-off.
The most interesting information about U Cluj – Rapid
11 victories, three draws and five defeats is the record recorded by Cluj in the current championship on their own ground. On the other side, the people of Bucharest have prevailed in four of the 19 trips, and another 10 times they finished in a draw.
The duel between the University of Cluj and Rapid is the oldest in the history of the current championship, the first direct confrontation taking place in the second season in which the internal competition was held in the divisional system, 1933/1934. On November 26, 1933, the students of Adalbert Molnar (U) defeated on their own ground with 2-1 (Graţian Sepi, Silviu Ploeşteanu / Ştefan Boblea). In return, in Bucharest (April 21, 1934), the Ceferists also won the victory by 1-0, the goal being scored by Geza Medve, the striker “Giulesti” being debut. In the aforementioned edition, both teams accumulated 17 points (U Cluj 3rd place, 4th place).
In total, the two teams met in the main internal competition 99 times, 40 times the Transylvanian students won, 43 times the Giulesti were imposed, and another 16 games ended in a draw.
Palmares with u host Cluj: 49 matches – 26 victories u Cluj – 11 draws – 12 quick successes.
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The biggest difference recorded on the first stage: five goals, five times 5-0 (three times for U Cluj – twice for Rapid).
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The most recent dispute in the championship: April 19, 2025, Rapid-University of Cluj 0-2 (Ovidiu Bic, Isosouf Macalou).
The match will be a special one for Ioan Ovidiu Sabău, who evolved as a player in Giuleşti for four seasons (1998-1999, 1999-2000, 2001-2002, 2002-2003), contributing to the last two titles won by the Vişinie group. He also trained Rapid in the 2012/2013 season (16 matches in all competitions – 9 wins – 3 draws – 4 defeats).
