After Dinamo and Rapid, one more club at the top of the Superliga has a DEFICIT of 4 million euros
Article by Alexandru Barbu, Maria Olteanu – Published Thursday, January 15, 2026, 12:33 / Updated Thursday, January 15, 2026 12:33
Valeriu Iftime (65 years old), the patron of FC Botoșani, was Alexandru Barbu's guest on the GSP Live show, where he addressed several topics, including the club's financial situation.
After Andrei Nicolescu, the president of Dinamo, announced a few days ago that the team from “Ștefan cel Mare” has a deficit of 4 million eurosand Victor Angelescu, the president of Rapid, said that the team from Giulești finished the year 2025 with a deficit of 3 million euros, now also the official of FC Botoșani announced that the team he leads faces an equally big “minus”: 4 million euros.
Despite the financial problems, FC Botoșani is one of the surprises of this season in the Super League, being at the moment in third place in the ranking, with the inevitable thought of a place in the play-offs.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO. Valeriu Iftime, about the financial situation at FC Botoșani
“I have a lot of faith in Leo and the team, it wasn't an accident until now, I think we are better now, we are ready, it will be difficult in Csikszereda, in Craiova it seems impossible, but even if it were Barcelona I still go with hope. I have Ongenda's ideal, it doesn't matter the match, we have to beat everything, if you want the championship or in the first 3 you have to play for victories, not to shake your pants, to play, to want, to you win
To have trust, homogeneity, that goes a long way. Yes, we are thinking about the European cups. Someone asked me if I was dreaming, I keep dreaming about winning the championship, but when I wake up I'm not there anymore. That is my desire, my objective, with the tools I have, to motivate, that is, I won't tell you how complicated it is to bring in millions of euros. There is a deficit of 4 million euros, it's not easy, from our companies, from our pockets, it's not easy, I'm not a great football player, I haven't been, nor do I think about what I'll do in 5 years in football.
We are in an exceptional moment for Botoșani, we must be supported, we must give millions of euros, it is not easy to earn money today, it is not the most pleasant situation, but I am doing it with all the confidence and skill, I think that Botoșani can be a team that plays in the European cups this year, considering the course.
Yes, deficit of 4 million euros, total budget of 6 million or so, TV rights, few tickets and the rest advertising. No, the budget was 4 and in 2024, I don't know how we did it, we left it on debt, as far as I know, our budget, we bring 3-4 million euros to football, year after year. We managed somehow, I gave the money myself. In 2025, almost 4 million euros in the minus.
We keep going until I come to my senses, it's not a pleasant situation, we don't have to look like crazy before”, said Valeriu Iftime, the financier of FC Botoșani, on the GSP Live show.
