Article by Alexandru Stanciu – published Monday, October 13, 2025 20:02 / Updated Monday, October 13, 2025 20:33
Cristi Balaj (54 years old) announced that he has resigned as president of the club CFR Cluj. The former Romanian referee had taken over the post on November 4, 2021, after giving up the head of the National Anti-Doping Agency (ANAD).
The separation was also confirmed by the club's financier, Ioan Varga. Thus, Balaj leaves CFR Cluj after almost 4 years of collaboration.
Cristi Balaj resigned from the position of president of the CFR: “We decided to shake our hand”
“On Saturday, we decided together with Mr. Varga to shake our hand and interrupt the contractual relations, and will paraphrase the understanding through a document the next few days.
I am glad that the team is on an upward trend and has lately demonstrated that it has a valuable batch and staff. I met quality people in Cluj, next to whom I attached. I thank everyone and I wish them success!
I would be glad for Neluțu Varga to reach where he proposed because it deserves a lot for all the efforts he made and makes for CFR Cluj”, Said Cristi Balaj, according to Fanatik.ro.
Ioan Varga confirmed the separation of Cristi Balaj: “Every man in life makes certain decisions”
The separation between Cristi Balaj and CFR Cluj was confirmed by the team owner, Ioan Varga.
“We talked to Cristi Balaj and we decided to stop the collaboration. Every man in life makes certain decisions. I'm sorry for Cristi because he wanted to leave CFR Cluj. He is a high quality man and a fair man, to whom I never had what to reproach.
This is what happens in the life of each team, in every man's life, you make certain decisions that you think are better for you and your family. I thank Cristi Balaj for the collaboration I had. We remain friends, as we have always been, “said Ioan Varga, according to the source quoted above.
Cristi Balaj wanted to resign in 2024
The former referee recently confessed that he intends to leave CFR Cluj. In fact, Cristi Balaj had threatened with resignation in April last year, after CFR was eliminated from the “quarters” of the Romanian Cup, being humiliated with a score of 0-4 by the second division, the Corvin, which would win the trophy.
That match recorded the resignation from the position of coach of Adrian Mutu, a technician whose team was not approved by the president. However, Neluțu Varga managed to return Balaj to return.
CFR Cluj has a disastrous start of the season. The vice-champion has lost the Romanian Super Cup, played with FCSB, score 1-2, and was left without Dan Petrescu, who resigned after the humility in Sweden, with Hacken, score 2-7, in the Conference League preliminaries.
Without participation in European cups this season, the situation is also terrible in the championship. Meanwhile by Andrea Mandorini, CFR Cluj has only succeeded in 11 stages, and is 12th, with 12 points.
In fact, CFR has the third most defensive defensive in Superliga, with 21 goals, being overcome in this chapter only by Metaloglobus and Csikszereda, which received 27 and 23 goals respectively.
Superliga standings
