Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published Friday, December 19, 2025 10:28 p.m. / Updated Friday, December 19, 2025 11:19 p.m.
CFR Cluj prevailed away from FC Botoșani, score 1-0in the opening of stage #21 of the Superliga, and keeps real chances to access the play-off. The only goal of the game was scored by Adrian Păun, who “broke the fog” in the 5th minute, at the end of a tangled phase in which the Transylvanian player had a spectacular execution, thus scoring the first goal of the current domestic championship season.
The squad from Gruia managed to tie two consecutive victories before the winter break.
Adrian Păun: “We needed points. It was not a very good game”
The scorer of the only goal, Adrian Păun, spoke about the success phase, but also about the importance of this success for the morale of the team:
“It was a difficult phase in the goal, I turned and shot on goal. I'm glad I managed to score. I needed this goal personally, but more than me, the team needed the 3 points to end the year properly.
I was thinking about the win because always in the past years we have had problems here, lost or tied. But now the situation has changed. Botoşani was the favorite and I'm glad that I won. It's a victory of character, of morale, considering that we had many injured and suspended players.
I am very happy for this hard-earned victory, even though it wasn't a very good game, but we needed points.”
The CFR midfielder emphasized that the team does not make premature calculations regarding the play-off:
“I don't want to think about the play-offs, we are in a difficult situation, we are still in a place that does us no honor. We take each game step by step and see at the end where we will rank, but we will not give up.”
Alin Fică: “As long as there are mathematical calculations, we want to fight to the end”
Alin Fică, player in Gruia since 2020, spoke about the importance of the victory and the team's objective for the second part of the season:
“I'm glad we managed to tie two consecutive wins. I hope we can come together well in January and show a new face of CFR in the new year.
I expected this victory because, as my colleagues Păun and Camora also said, strong characters are seen in the hardest moments.
We all expected CFR to fight for the top places, but we are glad to have scored some more points. And when we come together, we want to accomplish our goal. As long as there are mathematical calculations possible, we want to fight to the end to enter the play-offs“, declared the CFR midfielder.
Those who made the trip here showed great character. For me that matters the most. I hope we recharge our batteries and become stronger.
These are hard times. We have achieved little, but we have to recover slowly, slowly. We must have this attitude. The players who played and came in had a fantastic spirit. We are not where we all wanted to be.
– Mario Camora also declared, after the victory with Botoșani
The situation of the Transylvanians from CFR Cluj
After the victory in Botoșani, CFR Cluj is temporarily 4 points away from the play-off, but the final position after stage #21 will depend on the results of the other matches of the round.
Ranking in the Superliga
