“Let's not forget what Sepsis did!”

Leo Grozavu's Botosani ended the autumn season with a defeat, 0-1 at home against CFR Cluj, a match that he dominated but authoritatively. But the Moldovans have achieved an unexpected course so far, they have lasted on the podium for a long time, and many voices do not shy away from comparing them with Urziceni, Oțelul or Astra, which also accessed boom titles in 2009, 2011 and 2016.

After a decade, would it still be possible for a huge surprise in League 1?, here is one of the themes that Grozavu did not shy away from in the dialogue held before entering the vacation.

Leo Grozavu, unexpected confession: “If I had thought about it, I would not have agreed to come to Botoșani”

– Mr. Grozavu, a remarkable year 2025, how would you summarize it in a few ideas?
– First of all, I set off with this team for the last hundred meters, in the middle of January, when it was in a relegation place and already gone to the training camp. I didn't think much about it. If I had, I probably wouldn't have chosen to come. But everything happened at speed, with a short preparation and hard matches. Sure, I took a risk when I took her off the plane, but I relied on the fact that I knew the place, the environment, the people. Otherwise, I wouldn't have taken this step.

– Are you now congratulating yourself on that decision?
– I'm not necessarily congratulating myself, but time has proven that it was a good decision. We managed to save the team without a dam, after which an extraordinary fall followed. I admit it now: I didn't think for a moment at the beginning that it would be possible for us to be constantly at the top of the table, fighting with the teams aiming to win the title.

FC Botoșani, with Grozavu on the bench, saved itself in extremis from relegation last season, after a 2-1 in the last stage with Hermannstadt. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/fcbotosani

“We will set ourselves other goals only if we enter the play-offs. For now – saving from relegation!”

– 3rd place in the winter break doesn't look bad at all for Botoșani, right?
– It's not bad, but if we want to go to the next level, we have to do things more carefully, more responsibly, because it's quite difficult. We still have one positive “outside” every now and then, but usually we always go back to our problems and that's not okay. Botosani struggled, in general, in the lower part, he saved himself at the potou. But now it's different, because, being at the top, we are facing very well organized opponents from all points of view, financially, logistically. It's not simple!

– What are you specifically thinking about when you say these things?
– That's allthere are examples in Europe of teams that went one season to the European Cups, but the next year collapsed, were relegated. The situation also helped us now, let's be realistic!, we also had quite a chance, because some of the clubs subscribed to the first places started the championship very badly.

– Do not tell me now that you are afraid of falling into the second league! It seems like an exercise in modesty when you're still waving the idea that the current objective is saving from relegation.
– It's not modesty at all. We have the example of Sepsi not far from last season. A team that fought until the end to enter the play-offs, finished in seventh place in the regular season, after which it was directly relegated. For this reason we have to be extremely careful, because only the play-off guarantees us that we will then have a quieter championship. Only then will we be able to propose other plans.

Let's not forget where we started this season! If we lost at home to Hermannstadt in the last stage of the last championship, we were relegated directly. That's why the still active objective is to save ourselves and finish in a higher place compared to previous years
– Leo Grozavu, FC Botoșani coach

“Mailat found in Botoșani the best environment to develop”

Sebastian Mailat (right) was one of Botoșani's weapons for the very good course of the fall of 2025 Photo: Imago Images

– Have you calculated how many points you would need in the last nine stages of the regular season to get a place in the play-offs?
– Last year he entered with 46, while the 7th place, the first below the line, had accumulated 41. Now, as the points were distributed, I think 43-44 points will be enough. Or 45, to be spared any emotions.

– What has been Botoșani's asset so far?
– Homogeneity mattered a lot. That is, a group of players who, even if they did not succeed in other parts, found their optimal place here. They were very well valued and contributed to an exceptional course for the team.

– Are you including Mailat here?
– Yes. He had all kinds of escapes, so to speak, but it seems that in Botoșani he found the best environment to develop. He has probably also reached the maturity necessary to give the yield he is capable of.

“Ilaș has a maturity beyond his years. I hope the injury does not disturb him”

Narcis Ilaș “exploded” in FC Botoașni's shirt, but ended the season early due to a severe injury suffered in the game with Hermannstadt PHOTO: Imago Images

– You had a lot of faith in a kid, I mean Ilaș, who impressed as a right defender, with a sad end to the season, however, due to an injury. What particularly excited you about this child?
– In general, I avoid making such remarks about very young players, who are known to be fickle in their developments. But in Ilaş things were like this! In the summer, when we formed the squad for the new championship, one of the thorny issues was who we would use for the U21 rule. During the last season, I had played a series of friendly matches with Ceahlăul, where the boy was on loan, but he had never particularly impressed me. But we took him to the training camp in Austria, where he earned his place in the starting line-up. Then, from game to game, I realized that he has definite qualities.

– The first of qualities?
– I don't like to praise him too much, but he has a maturity beyond his years. And that made him not leave the team at all. And he probably would have continued to play had it not been for the injury in the Hermannstadt game. He can play on both sides, he doesn't get confused by the ball, he has self-control. Sure, commits and mistakes, like any footballer, happened to him during the tour, but he proved that he deserves his place.

– Have you ever felt that you go through moments of confusion or discomfort because of the problems with glaucoma and the glasses worn during the matches?
– We had discussions on this topic. He told me that he didn't have any problems and I didn't notice anything particularly wrong. He never showed me that he would have difficulty with orientation or perception of the game. He can see very well, he got used to those glasses, the frame of which he ordered in Italy. But the special lenses and you can get them just about anywhere.

I hope the injury does not upset him. There are a lot of players who, after returning, do not get into very good sports shape. But I trust him because I see him as a smart, balanced boy and I know how hard he has worked and wants to perform
– Leo Grozavu, FC Botoșani coach

“Cisotti is the first player I would bring to Botoșani”

Cisotti (middle) was designated the foreigner of the year 2025 in the traditional GSP Survey photo: Cristi Preda (GSP)

– What was the match in the current season that made you believe that you can really compete with anyone?
– I didn't think about it, but if I were to rewind the film, I would say that the victory against FCSB, 3-1, took us out of the comfort zone of a small team. It was a mid-tournament game, we achieved fanfare success, showed definite superiority at times and scored three goals. That doesn't happen very often against FCSB. We then obtained a result that gave us a lot of confidence. We had already won a stage in Galați, then four more successes followed, so six consecutive victories resulted, which propelled us to the top of the ranking.

– If you could bring any player from League 1 to Botoșani in the mercato, who would you choose?
– Cisotti! He is a type of player that we would really need in Botoașni. He makes the connection between defense and attack admirably, he is very good defensively, he also appears at the finish, scores, has offensive contributions. It would fit very well on Botoșani's game!

“I didn't touch meat for about two years, but I didn't feel very well”

– The holidays have come, a few moments of respiro, how will you spend your Holidays?
– I don't really like to talk about this topic, because I'm a more discreet guy. But of course I make myself available to the family now, because during the year I am away from home for many days. My wife still takes care of me in the sense that she still comes to Botoșani about once every two weeks, when we play on our own ground, to save me from traveling to Cluj. We live there in a kind of duplex with the children, with the grandson, each with his own part of the house. They will probably leave, my wife and I have already made our schedule for a few days of vacation.

Leo Grozavu and his wife in the yard of the house near Cluj, together with the family dogs – image from the spring of 2022. Photo: Cristi Preda (GSP)

– Favorite food these days?
– I'm not a glutton, but a glutton, yes! Obviously, all the classic holiday dishes are appetizing, the cold ones, the sarmalutes, but, where I've been before, I like to give up this traditional cuisine sometimes. For several years, the wife has stopped eating meat at all, I also had a period of two years where I did not touch animal products, but I did not feel very well. Anyway, away from home, it's more complicated to keep this regime.

– Do you still exercise to maintain your tone?
– I used to do this a while ago, but I had a knee injury and my cartilages are at maximum wear and tear. I was suffering from the time of the player! So anything I do extra is immediately felt! Until a year and a half ago, during the Holidays, I used to go to a thousand with my friends from Cluj, but now less. I'm trying to exercise, I haven't given up completely, but less than I'd like.