Article by Justin Gafiuc – Published on Thursday, 20 November 2025, 22:09 / Updated on Thursday, 20 November 2025 22:10
Yasmin Latovlevici believes that Turkey has no reason to shudder at the World Cup. And he explains the details that he thinks can make the difference in favor of the “tricolors” in the “Crescent” inferno
The former international Iasmin Latovlevici played for five seasons in Turkey, at Genclerbirligi, Karabuk, Galata and Bursaspor, and now he makes a warm analysis of the semi-final with Romania to the World Cup. And his speech is an optimistic one for the “tricolors”!
Iasmin Latovlevici: “The difference is made at the mental level”
Iasmin Latovlevici experienced the madness of Turkish football and in the Galatasaray shirt / photo: Imago Images
“It will also depend a lot on which stadium it will be played in. If, for example, Beşiktaş's arena will be chosen, there will be an inferno. I remember that I was trying to communicate with Cristi Tănase on the pitch and I couldn't hear a word between us, because there was an indescribable commotion in the stands. Otherwise, in any stadium we will be, turf, conditions – everything is superlative”, Latovlevici begins his comment.
And continues: “At this level of qualification, absolutely nothing from the past matters anymore. I don't even know how I finished the preliminaries, nor what disappointments at the moment. We're only going to hurt ourselves if we keep talking nonsense about what it was. The stake is so high that the focus is totally on that game, and the motivation will be colossal for any player. It's the kind of match where possible differences in value fade and the tie comes from the mind, first of all. That's how I see it!”.
“Nea Piti prepared the match with the idea of waiting for them and hitting on the counter. That's what happened!”
Gicu Grozav brought Romania victory against Turkey in the 2012 match, in the 2014 WC campaign
Latovlevici doesn't think there is a favorite team in the semi-final for the World Cup: “It's wrong to think like that. We don't have to be afraid of anything. But it depends on what mentality everyone enters the field with. I'm convinced that the coach will find ways to mobilize them properly, but it also matters how a player prepares individually. There are a lot of factors that can influence you, from more skeptical friends to the huge tension that will be around the match.”
The former FCSB left back estimates that “everyone leaves with equal chances and it's important that we don't go there like lambs to the slaughter. Otherwise, it doesn't even make sense to show up.”
And he returns to Turkey – Romania 0-1 from October 2012, in the WC 2014 preliminaries, a game in which there was an unused reserve: “It depends now on what Mr. Lucescu will want, but I know that nea Piți prepared that match with the clear idea of waiting for them, carefully organizing ourselves defensively and trying to hit on the counterattack. That's what happened right at the end of the first half, when Grozav scored after a run fantastic, on the other hand, when the Turks didn't have time to fall back on defense”.
Pițurcă brought Romania's last great victory against Turkey, 13 years ago
I am convinced that nea Mircea will find loopholes in Turkey's game. Nobody is invincible. Whoever makes the fewest mistakes will win
– Iasmin Latovlevici, former international
“We shouldn't care if the opponent comes from Real Madrid or Inter”
How much does it matter in the equation of such a match that the opponent comes with players from Real Madrid (Arda Guler), Inter (Calhanoglu) or Juventus (Kenan Yildiz)?
“Honestly, for me it was not of great importance. I played against many top teams, with great footballers, including against Brazil. But it matters how you focus and how you calibrate yourself to the game. You don't stop to think that X is developing at Real Madrid. If I am prepared and have confidence, I often compensate with determination and the desire to win the fact that the opponent comes from a different level and has a different pace,” Latovlevici pointed out.
Arda Guler is Turkey's new generation star / Photo: Instagram vraimerengue
And he added: “Turkey is not an alien team and it seems to me that the pressure will be more on their shoulders anyway by the fact that they will be playing at home. The fans will be on their feet in the stadium, if theirs don't score in the first 25-30 minutes the doubts start, the tension increases. Maybe they will consider us weaker and hence the risk of disconnection. Anything can happen, but we have to pay attention to absolutely every detail that we can speculate on.”
It is an advantage that Mircea Lucescu knows many of the Turkish players well from the time when he was their coach. It can give players valuable additional explanations about the opponent to help them on the field
– Iasmin Latovlevici, former international
“Drăgușin's return would be a big plus”
Radu Drăgușin will return to the national team after a long break imposed by a knee injury / Photo: frf.ro
He is confident that Romania will be strengthened by the expected return of Drăgușin: “I have never been on the sidelines as much as Radu, I had a maximum three-month break due to an injury, and I know it is not easy to come back. But, at least for me, there was always a fantastic desire to return and I couldn't wait to be on the pitch again. First 20-30 minutes, then more and more, until it reaccustoms the body to effort and rhythm”.
He elaborates: “I remember how I came back to CFR and, in the first match, it was already very difficult from the 60th minute. So, at this level, things are not simple and it depends on concentration, ambition. But I say that Drăgușin's return should be a plus for the match in March. There are still four months until then, we hope that all the boys will be healthy at game time!”.
