Article by Alexandru Barbu, Daniel Grigore – Published Thursday, February 12, 2026, 2:00 p.m. / Updated Thursday, February 12, 2026 2:03 p.m.
The Galaţi court accepted the request for insolvency of the Oțelul Galaţi club, made by Stiven Plaza (26 years old), between February and July 2025, a player of the team.
A debt of only 11,250 euros put Oțelul Galati – at least for the moment – into insolvency.
On February 4, the Galati Court accepted the request made by the footballer's lawyer Stiven Plaza, who requested the club's entry into insolvency based on a debt of only 11,250 eurosaccording to golazo.ro. The decision is enforceable, but not final. Oțelul had the right to appeal within 7 days, and any appeal would then be judged at the Galati Court of Appeal.
Oțelul Galati temporarily went into insolvency!
If Oțelul wins the appeal, the insolvency process will be cancelled. Until then, it runs its natural course, with the meeting of creditors set for April 16.
It is curious that Oțelul ended up in this situation because of a tiny debt of 11,250 euros, the equivalent of about 57,300 lei at the current exchange rate. This in the conditions where the minimum debt on the basis of which an insolvency application can be filed is 50,000 lei.
The Vaslui company ESTCONSULT IPURL was appointed provisional judicial administrator, which also dealt with the insolvency of FC Vaslui.
HORROR scenario for Steel!
If the decision will not be changed on appeal, then the situation of Steel becomes terribly complicated.
Because the insolvency proceedings would be activated so suddenly, Galatiul would not have enough time to have an approved reorganization plan – mandatory request for Superliga teams in insolvency.
In the case of clubs that do not participate in European competitions, the deadline for submitting licensing files for the new Superliga season is April 15.
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Until the time of publication of the article, Cristi Munteanu, the president of Oțel, could not be contacted for a reaction.
Article 70 Lack of outstanding debts to employees
70.01 The UEFA license applicant must demonstrate that on 31 March prior to the competition season for which the license is applied for it had no outstanding debts (as per the provisions of Annex H) to employees based on contractual or legal obligations due by 28 February prior to the competition season for which the license is applied for.
70.02 The applicant for a League 1 license must demonstrate that on 31 March preceding the competitive season for which the license is applied for it had no outstanding debts (as defined in Appendix H) to employees, based on contractual and legal obligations to employees, arising before 31 December of the year preceding that in which the license is applied for and due by 28 February prior to the competitive season for which the license is applied for.
70.03 If the League 1 license applicant contravenes 70.02, it must demonstrate that by April 15th, any outstanding financial debts identified under Article 70.02 on March 31st have been paid or creditors have agreed in writing to extend the payment of such debts beyond April 15th. In addition, in the case of clubs that are in insolvency proceedings, the Reorganization Plan must be confirmed by the Syndic Judge until the grace period granted to clubs applying for a League 1 license, i.e. April 15.
– Licensing regulation passage
