LIVE. FC Botoșani – Rapid, derby between the top ranked teams in the Superliga

Rapid and FC Botoșani are the top two ranked in the Superliga at the moment, being separated by two points.

LIVE. FC Botoșani – Rapid 0-0

• Here live + Statistics
• Min. 35: Anestis made an incredible save on Koljic's shot from close range. The Greek goalkeeper left-handed from the short corner.
• Min. 20: Huge opportunity for Rapid. Petrila missed the championship. Left with an empty goal by Dobre, the left midfielder sent wide, from inside the box.

FC Botoșani – Quick, starting teams

FC Botosani (4-2-3-1): Anestis – Adams, Miron, Șigănașu, Pavlovic – Bordeianu, Aldair – Mailat, Ongenda, Mitrov – A. Dumitru
Reserves: Kukic, Munoz Fernandez, Sut, Creț, David, Papa, Pănoiu, Andrei Dumitru, Bodisteanu, Dumiter, Lopez, Ciurel
Coach: Awesome Leo

Rapid (4-3-3): Aioani – Manea, Ciobotariu, Kramer, Badescu – Grameni, Keita, Christensen – Dobre, Koljic, Petrila
Reserves: Stolz, Briciu, Ignat, Onea, Borza, Vulturar, G. Gheorghe, Gojkovic, Micovschi, Jambor, R. Pop.
Coach: Costel Gâlcă

Stadium: Municipal (Botoșani)
Referee: Horace Fesnic // Assistants: Valentin Avram, Alexandru Cerei
VAR referee: Iulian Dima // Assistant VAR: Ovidiu Artene

Superliga live standings

Giulești are the leaders, with 38 points (11 wins, 5 draws, two losses), and the Moldovans are in 2nd place, with 36 points (10 wins, 6 draws, two losses).

With a win in this match, Rapid will distance itself five points from FC Botoșani and 6 points from the 3rd place, occupied by Dinamo. Instead, if necessary, FC Botoșani climbs to first place, one point ahead.

VIDEO. Leo Grozavu, press conference before FC Botoșani – Rapid

Costel Gâlcă, before FC Botoșani – Rapid: “We are waiting for a very important match”

We have an important match waiting for us, we are playing with the second ranked team, from the point of view of the ranking, the important thing for us is to accumulate points. If it is possible to take all 3, it would be important between us, we have a distance from the second place, Botoșani. It won't be easy. An aggressive match. The opposing team has extreme speed. He hasn't lost at home so far.

They have an experienced coach, it is mostly his credit, he knew how to create a team, to value the players. This match is important, let's accumulate points, there are 3 matches left until the winter break. The important thing is not to lose. Pașcanu cannot return to the team. Borza and Gheorghe are back, I'm very happy. These are the news and I hope we use them in these 3 matches.

– Costel Gâlcă

The most important statistics before FC Botoșani – Rapid

• April 14, 2025, FC Botoșani-Oțelul 0-1 was the only home defeat suffered by Leo Grozavu's students in the main domestic competition this calendar year, otherwise nine successes and eight draws.
• The Bucharesters lost the previous away game in the championship, 0-3 against CFR Cluj, the failure stopping a series of invincibility of Rapid on the opposing field consisting of six victories and seven draws.
• FC Botoșani has the best defense in the championship, only 14 goals conceded (only one on the counterattack), while the group from Giulești has the best attack in the first 18 stages – 33 goals scored (25 from action).
• An interesting duel promises to be the one between Sebastian Mailat (8 goals, 3 assists) and Alexandru Dobre (10 goals, 2 assists), none other than the players with the most offensive contributions from the two groups.
• FC Botoşani and Rapid met in the main domestic competition 12 times, five times the Bucharest team won, twice they defeated the Moldovan team, and five other games ended in a draw.
• The first confrontations took place in the 2014/2015 edition, when FC Botoşani beat “at home” with 3-0 (scorers Martinus, Ngankam, Vaşvari-pen) and drew on the field of Rapid, score 2-2 (goals scored by E. Oriol, Săpunaru-pen / Ivanovici, Vaşvari-pen).
• The most recent direct match in the Romanian Superliga: August 4, 2025, Rapid-FC Botoșani 2-1 (A. Baroan – “double” / H. Ongenda).