Article by Andrei Furnigă (video), Romeo Ene – Published on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, 15:51 / Updated on Wednesday, 28 January 2026 15:51
Elias Charalambous (45 years old), the coach of FCSB, held the press conference prior to the duel at home with Fenerbahce, last in the main group of the Europa League.
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FCSB – Fenerbahce is played on Thursday, January 29, at 22:00, at the National Arena. The match will be liveTEXT on GSP.ro and televised by Prima Sport 1 and Digi Sport 1, with real-time information from Gazeta Sporturilor reporters.
Although the team is under huge pressure, Charalambous denied any rumor related to a possible resignation. The Cypriot revealed details of the “face-to-face” meeting with the Becali boss, the first of its kind in three years.
After the match with CFR Cluj, the technician announced that he is ready to leave if he is asked to do so.
VIDEO | Elias Charalambous, statements before FCSB – Fenerbahce: “It is one of the most difficult moments in recent history”
“First of all, I would start with the huge tragedy that happened yesterday in Romania. Unfortunately, these are the problems of life. We lost seven, but now I have been informed that there are eight lives in Romania. PAOK fans were traveling to see their favorite team.
I would like to send my condolences to the fans, to all the people of Greece. It's a tragedy for everyone, not just football. Everyone lost eight young people this way.
Now, about tomorrow's game. We all know that we will meet perhaps the best team we could meet so far, with a lot of quality. It will be a difficult game, a game that we know does not depend only on us, even if we win, we also depend on other results.
We are not sure that we can qualify, but we will give everything, we will try to be the best, we will try to win the game tomorrow.
It is a team that has invested a lot of money in recent years, brought in quality players. We know that tomorrow will be difficult for us and we have to work hard. Especially in this time we're going through now, we have to show character and hope to get things right.
We know that anything can happen in football. We will fight from the first minute to win tomorrow.
It's football, you don't know what's going to happen next. It's normal that when you win, the confidence and atmosphere changes, and when you don't, things are more difficult. I try to have a balance. We are a big club, we are going through a difficult time now.
It is one of the most difficult moments in recent history. On the other hand, we know that things in life can't always go in a good direction, but maybe for us it's in the long run. The situation should have changed by now, but this did not happen,” said Elias Charalambous.
An important moment of the conference was when the coach charged the “voices” speculating about problems in the locker room. Charalambous took on those who try to destabilize the situation.
This kind of thing the boss says he's been saying for several years. I'm here, doing my job, telling the players not to read or listen to anything, especially at times like this.
We know the boss, he likes to talk. Before I came here I have no problem. I know who I am and what I do, that's enough for me.
In hard times, every day can be a new story. Tomorrow is the same. I have no problems with the players, they respect me too. I don't want to create chaos, inventions.
The only difference is that now we don't win and when you don't win the parrots start jumping again. For me, you know me, I don't care. They can say what they want. Elias is very strong and they can hit and sing whatever they want. I know who I am and I don't care what they say and what stories they make up on a daily basis.
– Elias CharalambousFCSB's coach
Message to supporters: “It makes sense”
Elias Charalambous understands the displeasure of the fans, who expressed their disappointment the other day at the club's situation. FCSB is in 11th place in the Superliga and risks missing out on the play-off qualification for the first time in history.
“We have to try to find solutions and overcome this period. We will see how it goes. We have to be balanced, try to work. Rest assured the players are suffering, I'm not ok with that, neither are the fans, but we have to change that. I can't promise anything but rest assured the guys are trying and we will try to fix this.
It makes sense for fans to have that feeling at this point, because they've been used to seeing something different from the team in recent years. Let's play differently, good football, win matches. We are with them.
They give us energy, they help us at all times. We are with them and they need to know that the players are suffering too. I'm not ok with this situation. They want to change the situation. I think we can change everything starting tomorrow, play and get points. It's football and you never know what can happen. We will see.
What I said after the last game, that's what I felt at that moment. It was my feelings and I said what I felt, but I'm still here now. I have to try to work hard. We're at a club where we've been given everything we need from the patron, and we need to give more back.
I always try to take responsibility. You know me very well and maybe after the Zagreb game I spoke a little bit about the players for the first time and the only reason I did it was to boost their ego. You must know that I will always take responsibility.”
What Charalambous says about the discussion with Gigi Becali: “Something I liked”
The other days, the boss Gigi Becali went to the base of the team in Berceni to talk with the players. A useful conversation in Charalambous' view.
“When the boss was here it happened for the first time. I saw him come here for the first time in the last three years. It is his team, he has invested millions of euros in this club, he has the right to come here when he wants, to say what he wants, because he is the boss here and we must listen to him, always respect his decisions.
It was a good discussion. He told us his experiences, something I liked. Let's talk face to face, let's tell each other the truth. It's something I like and do myself.
I will never say what I will do with the players, everyone does what they want. What happens in training, you will never hear anything like that from me. The boss wants to say things about the team, but I won't do that. I won't tell what happens in my family.
It was easier for me to leave when the situation was better. In this type of situation I will never leave the boat, especially when I told the patron that I am open if he no longer needs me. I have taken responsibility, I am open to leaving, but in this situation it is not my character to leave.
In better situations it was more ok maybe, but I certainly never had the intention of leaving this club. Not only have we won many things together, the support I have received from the first day I came here, from everyone, his staff, the team, the fans, is something I really appreciate and will always have a place in my mind.
My feelings for this club are strong. I have respect for everyone, so I will never walk away so easily, especially in these kinds of situations,” added Charalambous.
Ranking in the main Europa League group
