Article by Alexandru Stanciu – Published Sunday, December 21, 2025 22:21 / Updated Monday, December 22, 2025 00:40
Last season's FCSB goalscorer made a quicker-than-expected recovery from his left ankle injury at the end of last month and was sent into the starting line-up for the Rapid derby.
Bîrligea passed decisively to Darius Olaru to open the scoring in the first half, he missed alone with the goalkeeper after the break, and in the 66th minute he was full of nerves when he saw that he was going to be replaced with Malcom Edjouma.
Despite the protests, Gigi Becali announced that Bîrligea will not be fined, and will even receive a bonus for the successful assist. However, Bîrligea was criticized by the patron for the game he played in the rest of the match.
Gigi Becali forgave Daniel Bîrligea for the nervous exit from the derby with Rapid: “Well done to him for protesting, he doesn't get a fine!”
“I didn't like Bîrligea. You miss with the goalkeeper alone, you give the ball to the opponent, you don't win a duel. Why are you so angry? You have to play football, Bîrligea boys!
They get away with bad words, that's their problem, fines and that's it, that's it. Given that he struggled to play all week and conceded a goal, he escaped the fine. He contributed to the goal.
He does not know that the change that was made was programmed in advance. Olaru passes to the left, Toma and Bîrligea exit and Stoian and Edjouma enter. It has already been scheduled for 5 days. He didn't know, how could he know what we're programming?
And so he played 70 minutes, he was scheduled to come out at halftime. I left him because we were in the lead and winning the game, the ball was in our possession, but he lost it all.
He contributed to the goal, well done to him, he doesn't get a fine, he also gets a bonus! Well done, Bîrligea, very good that you protested! I beat Rapid, bravo and that's enough, protest!
These are my boys, they're my family, kudos to him for protesting to please you. Do you think I'm interested in what Bîrligea did?
We beat Rapid, we came within 4 points of them, if they started the play-off now. We can take it from them before we finish first in the regular season as well. 8 points is not a lot. I am no longer afraid of the play-off at all”, Gigi Becali declared on Prima Sport.
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