“More valuable, better placed, much more serious”

Rapid Old Boys authoritatively dominated Sunday's match, with Cristi Săpunaru and Costin Lazăr, the fittest players on the field, in great shape. It ended 10-4 for Giulești, in a game in which Cristi Săpunaru, who had just retired from the game, was in top form, including a spectacular goal from the scissors.

And Costin Lazăr showed off his great mood for the game, the former midfielder being the one who directed Rapid's play. And at the end, he had an emphatic speech in front of journalists, extensively analyzing the situation at his former club.

VIDEO. Costin Lazăr: “Costel Gâlcă is an example of a serious coach”

“Săpunaru is doing very well, he's a recently retired player, he's practically a League 1 player, it's a pleasure to have him with us, to reunite with former old colleagues. Now he's only started scoring goals at Old Boys, I'm tired of him, I've been meeting him at football for about two weeks. He's in shape. I'm 45 years old, he's just retired, he's 38-39, there's a big age difference, but we're trying to we maintain through sports.

The boys feel good in the field, they come for exercise and to play football with a smile on their faces. Herea can no longer run, get fined for kilograms, she carries a bag on her back, but the quality has remained. He is a special boy.

Fans may be upset about what happened last night, because the Rapid lost unexpectedly. Steel is a pretty good team, they played football, in the end an execution makes the difference and last night that happened. Maybe that's why not so many spectators came, but that's it, we're performing for those who are here.

And FCSB is doing well now, in the last period, it will be a team that from my point of view will have a chance to enter the play-offs, they have a valuable team, but I say Rapidul looks very good this year, much more valuable, better placed, much more serious, more constant in evolution and I say it will be a very nice match. I want the Rapid to win, but we'll see.

For me, Costel Gâlcă is the example of a serious, calculated, balanced coach, not euphoric and then having a funeral like last night's match. You have to be balanced and have the group close, because it's normal, in football sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and you have to move on.

At the moment, yes, Rapid is the main favorite for the title. Not necessarily Rapid, because there are several teams making claims to the title and who will fight to the end. Botoșani is a very big surprise, they didn't have very good conditions for football, a big, big surprise and everything is due to the coach.

Rapid needs a few more players in the winter, players who will add value to the team and a very good training. The break is sometimes beneficial, sometimes against the team”, said Costin Lazăr, after Sunday's match.

Costin Lazăr, about the chances of the national team to go to the World Cup

If we don't beat the Turks at football, we bring some swords and beat them somehow. But they are quite aggressive, they have very good players from strong championships. We have too, but not at such a high level. I believe in our chance until the end, but it will be very difficult against Turkey.

Any group is difficult for Romania, in the conditions where we are always on the edge of a knife, whether we advance or not. Our generation produces values, but our mentality is different from country to country. That makes the difference, in well-developed countries the players are stronger, they have a winning mentality

Mr. Lucescu will come with all possible weapons, he is the most experienced coach, I do not agree with the sayings that he is an elderly coach. Wine is better when it is old, so is Mr. Lucescu. I have great respect for him, he was a god, but since he came to Romania he has become a mortal

– Costin Lazar, about the national team