An 18-year-old player playing in the Bundesliga will make his debut for Romania at the “Carpathian Trophy”
Article by Costi Prună – Published on Thursday, 30 October 2025, 13:29 / Updated on Thursday, 30 October 2025 13:29
The traditional international tournament with the “Carpathian Trophy” starts in Baia Mare on Friday. Along with Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine and Georgia are participating in the tournament.
The national team prepared by George Buricea met on October 25 in Baia Mare, and among the 20 summoned players, Robert Militaru (Dinamo) and Gabriel Ilie (Partizan Belgrad) are missing, who are injured.
Robert Militaru and Gabi Ilie are injured
Militaru has back pain and Ilie suffered a sprained ankle, but both will be fit for the European Championshipcompetition that will take place between January 15 and February 1 in Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
Robert Military. Photo: Instagram
Romania was assigned to group B, along with Denmark, Portugal and North Macedonia.
A Bundesliga player will make his debut for Romania
From the team present at Baia Mare for the “Carpathian Trophy”, selector George Buricea has at his disposal, among others, Ionut Iancu, Dan Racotea, Tudor Botea, Gabriel Cumpanici, Daniel Stanciuc, Demis Grigoraș, Ionut Nistor and Călin Dedu.
The young 18-year-old goalkeeper, trained in Târgu Mureș, Cătălin Haidu, will make his debut for the national team. He is in the team of the famous German team, Flensburg Handewit and played both in the Bundesliga and in the European cups.
“It is a very important preparation period because the team has not met for a long time and it is important to reconnect, to work together, to remember the game system, to homogenize the team in the perspective of the European Championship.
The “Carpathian Trophy” comes on time and we will see what level we are at two and a half months before the European tournament. We have to link the relations to the game and we will see where we have to adjust”, said the selector George Buricea for GSP.
George Buricea
Selector George Buricea: “The results will be a consequence of the pleasure of playing for Romania!”
Among Romania's 3 opponents, two of them, Georgia and Ukraine, are also qualified for EURO 2026. Buricea says that all the summoned athletes will play at the tournament in Baia Mare, to get a first idea of the group of 17 players that will go to the European Championship.
“I will give chances and playing time to all players in the 3 matches, where we will meet good teams, of our value. I want to work a lot on game relations and the attitude of the athletes, their involvement will matter a lot, and the results will be the consequence of determination, sacrifice and the pleasure of playing for Romania”, concluded George Buricea.
In the first match of the “Carpathian Niro Trophy”, Romania plays against Ukraine on Friday at 17:30. The match will be televised live by Pro Arena.
A possible first “7” for Romania: Iancu, Vereș, Buzle, Stanciuc, Grigoraș, Nistor, Dedu.
