Il Luce. The master Mircea Lucescu officially asks for the return to the Dinamo of the Romanian Cup 1988, a final abandoned by Steaua at the order of Valentin Ceausescu »Gică Popescu, Răzvan Lucescu invokes” a mafia system “
Article by Justin Gafiuc – published Wednesday, July 30, 2025, 00:04 / Updated Wednesday, July 30, 2025 00:04
In the GSP documentary made on the age of 80, Mircea Lucescu reopened the theme of the Romanian Cup final, when Steaua He left the field in extensions after a goal annulled to Balint. After the Revolution, FRF left the trophy in the air. Gică Popescu then played for the red-blue and thinks it's his cup Dinamoand the son of the coach tells incredible episodes around that party.
On June 26, 1988, one of the most controversial derby Steaua-Dinamo in history was played. This is the final of the Romanian Cup, hosted by the old “August 23” stadium, with an exceptional distribution in both camps, including Iovan, Bumbescu, Belodedici, Popescu, Hagi, Lăcătuș, Moraru, Rednic, Andone, Lupa, Lupescu or Cămătaru.
The red-blue had just conquered the title at a difference point, had reached the semifinals of the European Champions Cup, where they were eliminated by Benfica (0-0, 0-2) and sought to achieve the event. And the “dogs”, with a spectacular growth band, were fighting to crack the internal supremacy of the rivals in Ghencea. But the end of the match will bring a goal annulled to Balint, at 1-1, the order of Valentin Ceausescu for Steaua to leave the land and a trophy remaining until today in the air!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih8gadjlkhg
Balint empty in extensions, offsaid, furious locksmith, Stoica broke the fan of the cough!
The match was a harsh one and with a result on the edge of the knife. Lăcătuș opened the scoring in the 27th minute, Răducioiu equalized three minutes before the end, except that a -fulger in the last sequences of the meeting would bring chaos to the lawn and in the stands.
In the 90th minute, Balint marked Hagi's center, but the assistant George Ionescu raised the flag by signaling an offside. Immediately, Bumbescu and Iovan rushed to the cough, followed by the locksmith, who became the most vehement contestant of the decision.
Ionescu was wrapped in a member, Tudorel Stoica broke the fan, Piţurcă and Bumbescu got upset and threw their shirts. Coach Anghel Iordănescu intervened to calm the spirits, but the stars immediately retired to the cabins after an order from the stands from Valentin Ceausescu.
The man who brought the message was Vice President Constantin Dănilescu. He urgently descended from the stands, ran away the land and told the star players to leave the field. This is before the referee Radu Petrescu whistles the end of the game!
After the referee canceled a perfectly valid goal of the Star, I told Valentin Ceausescu textual to remove the team from the field. I told him he couldn't be with the militia and the Security. They kill us for days! Valentin was a little coda, he didn't want much. I also told General Ilie Ceausescu to get involved, that it is a crime and punishment on the lawn. Then Valentin signaled to the players to go out, that only he listened to
Corneliu Vadim Tudor, February 2013, at GSP TV
Around the cough George Ionescu created a huge Meleu with the players of both bands after canceling the goal of Balint from the extensions of the Romanian Cup 1988, Steaua – Dinamo
Mircea Lucescu: “Dinamo should request the granting of the 1988 Cup”
Initially, the Dinamo ones self-served with the trophy left on the edge of the land. However, the cup arrived, after a few hours, at the feast of Steaua, at the intervention of Valentin Ceausescu. But, after the Revolution, the red-blue volunteered to the trophy, remaining officially not accorded.
At that time on the red-white bench, Mircea Lucescu returns to the agenda today: “That cup is part of Dinamo's record, without any discussion. Although the club then gave up operating any more steps, I am convinced that the trophy will be returned to Dinamo, who should ask the Cup in the '88. that thing. “
Gică Popescu: “I do not put that trophy, it is Dinamo's Cup!”
Gică Popescu played in the T -shirt of the Star that final, in his short adventure in Ghencea, only five months, during the military internship. “When I calculate my trophies, I do not count that cup,” says “Baciul” in an interview for GSP.
And he continues: “I remember Valentin a sign us to leave the field, we went to a restaurant and they brought the trophy there. Where he left afterwards, I don't know! Probably back to the federation and stayed there. It was a great grin on the field, I went to the locker room and then I didn't have to celebrate. From the field as you want.
In 1988 it happened about how things happened in Romania-Kosovo. Sure for other reasons, but the guests left the field in extensions before the end of the match, and lost 3-0
Gheorghe Popescu, for GSP
Gică Popescu says that, correctly, the Romanian Cup in 1988 should go to Dinamo, and after 37 years after the final
Ionuț Lupescu: “There were too many who kissed Valentin”
For his part, Ionuț Lupescu is just as firm in relation to the final he disputed on the lawn on “August 23”: “It was an ugly episode from Steaua, respectively Valentin Ceausescu. If I remember, the referee then waited for 15 minutes to return to the field, what did not happen. He was sitting on a table on the athletics track.
The memories continue: “We celebrated at a restaurant near Dinamo Park and, at midnight, we woke up at the banquet newspaper Information. We looked and we realized that there appeared a small statement that had nothing to do with the reality.
We, the young ones, took that episode lighter, but we felt a little embarrassed, because some of the ones from Steaua were our colleagues at the national. Too bad they were influenced by the club leadership, especially that there were personality players, such as Lăcătuș or Iovan
Ionuț Lupescu, for GSP
Former President of Star, Ion Alecsandrescu, is the man who attracted Valentin Ceausescu to Ghencea. Photo: GSP archive
“Kaiserul” concludes: “There were probably too many who kiss Valentin. And when you have people around you at every street corner, you think you are the best, the best and you make the most accurate decisions. Of course, Valentin was a good leader for Steaua, but obviously, it was an incorrect act. Club, but, according to the regulation, it should be at Dinamo ”.
Răzvan Lucescu: “At the FRF, they deleted the passage with the offside” from the box “
The son of Mircea Lucescu, Răzvan, also remembers those hot hours around the final played in June '88: “Let's be correct: that is Dinamo's Cup! There is no other result, if we think about how the star has abandoned that match. How many parties do not exist today, decided by the arbitration. to the cough ”.
Explains a shocking detail: “I saw with my father that box, filmed by Dinamo, from above. It was clearly seen. Only they gave it to the FRF for analysis, and the people there simply wiped that relevant passage. But I saw the phase with my eyes, at home, on the night.”
Răzvan Lucescu recalls the incredible events around the final of the Romanian Cup 1988, Steaua – Dinamo Photo: Valentin David (GSP)
Then there was a great injustice. We, as a family, went through terrible moments. I do not know how many coaches in this world are facing such limit situations, to lose a cup in such a way. You cannot give a trophy to a team that came out of the field, invoking a potential mistake of arbitration. Mistake which, in fact, did not exist!
Răzvan Lucescu, for GSP
He concludes: “I know what these things mean, because I lost in Greece a championship won with PAOK. There are great frustrations in the soul, huge!, Because how many times in life do you have the opportunity to conquer a title or a cup? In the back is a huge work. Valentin Ceausescu.
