“Joao Paulo, 600,000 euros?”

After the match in Galaţi, in which the defending champions were led, but managed to reverse the result and win 4-1, there were speculations that the red-blues would have been advantaged in the context of the transfer of Joao Paulo, made for the sum of 600,000 euros.

Paul Iacob, after U Cluj – Oțelul 2-0: “Joao Paulo is not a €600,000 player, he is worth more. FCSB made a very good deal”

The defender coming from Rapid, Paul Iacob, spoke about the defeat and elimination from the Cup.

“It was very difficult for us, we had a lot of kilometers to travel this week, it was very difficult and it showed. We didn't have freshness and it's hard to get something when you don't have freshness”.

Asked about the speculation in the match against FCSB, the former speedster said:

“I would have a lot to say, everyone is waiting for reactions from us, but let me start at the beginning: no one can justify the value of Joao Paulo. We, who know Joao Paulo, know his worth and my opinion is that FCSB did a very, very good deal. He is not a 600,000 euro player, he is worth more and it was not appropriate to talk about this case so much. And to accuse some players of cheating… you should have a clear proof to make such claims.

It was very disturbing, because the world circulated and it hurts. No one knows how much we sacrifice and how hard it was. There were guys today who played 90 minutes after 90 minutes, it was 4 games in a row. Please check the schedules, Steel had the hardest schedule!

We proved that we have value and we fought with everyone, with our resources, with what we have. That we didn't succeed is another story”, declared Paul Iacob at Digi Sport, in a flash interview.

Paul Iacob, the central defender of the Steel // PHOTO: Imago Images

Iustin Popescu: “I know how much we work”

And Iustin Popescu, the second option for the goalkeeper position after Dur-Bozoancă, but starting this evening, spoke about the match and about the same speculations that appeared after the match with FCSB.

I don't want to talk about that match with FCSB, all kinds of things were circulated. It was written, I don't read the press, but I received many articles. I know how much we work, what characters we have as boys, and there is no problem. That's all we could do in that match and we want to fix the next stage”, declared Iustin Popescu to Digi Sport, in a flash interview.

Iustin Popescu, Oțelul Galați goalkeeper // PHOTO: Imago Images

We started the game well, we had a good first half, unfortunately the second half was not good. Lukic had a good execution and unfortunately that's it. I knew what kind of teammates I had, I knew they were all very good guys. Unfortunately, I can say that they were careless with the goals and they cost us. As it was written, I traveled a lot, from Craiova to Botoșani, and the fatigue has its say. No one is a robot, everyone feels fatigue

– Iustin Popescu, Oțelul goalkeeper