Article by Romeo Ene – Published on Thursday, 27 November 2025 23:56 / Updated on Thursday, 27 November 2025 23:58
Red Star – FCSB 1-0. The Romanian champion lost to Serbia at the limit, even though they played in numerical superiority for more than an hour. The only goal of the game was scored by Bruno Duarte, in the 50th minute. The team prepared by Elias Charalambous (45 years old) is as if eliminated from Europe!
FCSB remained with only 3 accumulated points in the first 5 matches and is further away from qualification in the spring.
The precedent is unfortunate for the champion. Last season, the first with this format, Fenerbahce finished in 24th place, the last one that ensures presence in the play-off for the “eighties”, with 10 points, goal difference -2.
Right now, with three games left, the red-blues have 3 points and a -5 goal difference. And the calculations are getting more and more complicated.
Calculations: FCSB, further away from the spring Europa League
In theory, any failure the champions collect from now on will be synonymous with elimination. There are 3 more matches, and FCSB would need at least 7 points.
The top 24 go to the play-off for the “eights”, while the top 8 qualify directly for the “eights”.
FCSB still has to play against the strongest opponents. On December 11, they will receive the visit of Feyenoord, one of the strongest formations in the Netherlands. It will be the last European match of this calendar year.
In 2026, it will debut on Dinamo Zagreb's field, on January 22, and will receive the visit of the “colossus” Fenerbahce in the last stage, on January 29.
If we go by what happened last year, FCSB would need 7 points from these 3 matches, an almost impossible task considering the way this season has gone.
FC Basel is currently in 24th place with 6 points.
The results obtained by FCSB in the main group of the Europa League:
PHOTO GALLERY. The most spectacular images from Red Star – FCSB
Up-to-date standings from the main Europa League group
