Article by Alexandru Tomuțiu – Published Friday, December 19, 2025, 00:59 / Updated Friday, December 19, 2025 01:10
Gică Craioveanu said that for 10 minutes he was “like an alien”, after the final whistle. He criticized Coelho for pulling back and allowing the Greeks to become dangerous. He also reproached the coach for not playing Nsimba.
Gică Craioveanu, after AEK Athens – Craiova: “At 2-0 you can never lose”
“You didn't count in attack anymore. The message was clear: we defend. Put Nsimba in, draw a foul, give the team a chance to breathe. At 2-0 you can never lose in modern football. Look, it didn't come out. Basically, Craiova finished with 8-9 defenders. Terrible!
Me, who understands football and has been retired for so many years… I lost cup finals and cried like a baby. I have never seen such bad luck and it will be very difficult for him to recover. They were lying on the lawn. Isenko had a little bit left and was eating the referee, I think he cursed him, the guys held him. He was incredibly angry. Shame about this image the boys left.
I, who always have answers, felt like an alien for 10 minutes… A unique opportunity for historic Craiova. We were already looking at the opponents, that's what I was thinking too. That goal was decisive in the history of the match, the first. Only 5 minutes passed from 2-0 to 2-1.
I think that the changes also mattered… Sparta seemed to me to be a good team that knows how to play. In contrast, AEK Athens played poorly against Shamrock. And the team seemed to wake up in Europe, even if Sparta beat us. Too bad he left the competition.
If we were worth going out, I'd tell you we were embarrassing. But so… pity, big pity. For these people who have suffered. I received hundreds of messages. The only team to which this could happen is Craiova”, said Gică Craioveanu, at Digi Sport.
