Article by Liviu Manolache, Cezar Titor – Published on Sunday, 22 February 2026, 16:37 / Updated on Sunday, 22 February 2026 16:37
Last night, under the command of Costel Gâlcă, Rapid marked a first in terms of the starting formula: after 1,583 days, i.e. four years and four months, the Giulio team used only one foreign player in the first “11”, the stopper Leo Bolgado.
In the victory with Dinamo, score 2-1, Gâlcă sent the following formula to the field, in a 4-3-3 system: Aioani – Onea, Pașcanu, Bolgado, Borza – Moruțan, Vulturar, Grameni – Dobre, Paraschiv, Petrila.
Quickly, a single foreigner in the first “11” with Dinamo: since when has it not happened
This was also possible thanks to the surprises in the composition of the starting team: Keita and Christensen were not started, the technician preferring Vulturar and Moruțan. The choice proved inspired, Moruțan also managing a decisive pass.
However, Rapid turned to external solutions during the match, four foreign players being introduced from the bench: Koljic, Talisson, Kramer and Hromada.
In the red-white camp, Kopic relied on seven foreign players in the starting formula, the only Romanians used from the first minute being Opruț, author of the red-whites' success, Cîrjan, Mărginean and Musi.
The last time Rapid used a single foreign player from the first minute also happened in a derby with Dinamo, on October 23, 2021.
It was the first direct duel after a six-year break, during which the club from Giulești disbanded, re-established itself and went through the lower echelons until returning to the elite. Then, the game ended 1-1, after two spectacular goals: Torje for Dinamo and Carnat for Rapid, in overtime.
In that match, Mihai Iosif used the following starting formula: Horațiu Moldovan – Cătălin Hlistei, Cristian Săpunaru (capt.), Alexandru Dandea (Bazza Alami 61), Dragoș Grigore, Claudiu Belu – Albert Stahl (Rareș Ilie 61), Ljuban Crepulja (Younes Marzouk 81), Alexandru Albu, Antonio Sefer (Nicolae Carnat 71) – Adrian Bălan (Alexandru Ioniță II 81).
