Article by Alexandru Tomuțiu – Published Saturday, January 31, 2026 22:58 / Updated Saturday, January 31, 2026 23:05
Cristi Săpunaru (41 years old), former central defender from Rapid, made a brief analysis of the match lost by Giulești against U Clujscore 0-2, in the 24th round of the Superliga.
Săpunaru believes that the penalty from which U Cluj made 2-0, in the 85th minute, through Nistor, should not have been awarded. However, he said that this is not why Gâlcă's team lost, but because the Transylvanians were superior.
He also thinks that the coach made a mistake when he switched Alex Dobre from the right to the left.
Cristi Săpunaru, after Rapid – U Cluj: “U Cluj didn't let us breathe”
“I don't think Rapid lost because of that penalty. It's a big mistake, but that's not why Rapid lost.
I think that the most important factor was the tactics of those from U Cluj. They didn't let the Rapid breathe when entering the last 30 meters. That meant that Rapid had no chances, there were only two and that was it.
I said it even before Paraschiv came: he will need matches. And Moruțan as well, he is a good player, an important transfer, but he has to integrate into a system. And the other players have to understand what he is doing. Time is needed, but the problem is that there is no time left. There are six more stages, then the play-offs begin.
You have to stay close to Dinamo and Craiova. If it's a six-point gap, it's hard to beat. A distance of a point or two can be recovered.
He messed up by putting Dobre on the left sideeh, he's a speedy, linear player, go on the other foot…”, said Cristi Săpunaru, at Digi Sport.
VIDEO. Rapid – U Cluj » Mendy opens the scoring from a corner
