Article by Cezar Titor – Published on Wednesday, 25 February 2026 22:12 / Updated on Wednesday, 25 February 2026 22:19
Cristi Munteanu, 51 years old, the president of Oțelul Galați, said that the team from the Danube bank is focusing exclusively on the match with Cluj University, the goal of the red-white-blues being the accumulation of points: for a hypothetical chance of a play-off, but especially to avoid a possible Sepsis scenario, from last season, when the Covasnians were relegated, after chasing a play-off place, to the end of the regular season.
The owner of the FCSB champion bet everything on a help from the people of Galaţi with U Cluj, in the fight for qualification in the play-off. The Red-Blues need the Transylvanians not to win on Friday night against Oțelul, in order to stay in their hands in the last round, when they meet the “red caps” at the National Arena.
Cristi Munteanu: “We are going to win at U Cluj”
Gino Iorgulescu stated that it would be a shame for FCSB to miss the play-offs and warned that all teams would suffer financially if this scenario happened.
The boss of the Steel, Cristi Munteanu, did not want to comment: “We played with FCSB, we are no longer interested, we are not interested in what is being discussed around that match. Now we focus exclusively on the match with U Cluj, for us, to collect points. We still have a theoretical chance at the play-offs and while there is, we play our chance.
I do not want to comment on the statements of the president of the League. I am very disappointed and angry with everything that was discussed before and after the match with FCSB. But for us, a very important match is coming up, just like all the others. We are going to win and take advantage of every opportunity, even if the chances are small”.
At the same time, the former goalkeeper confesses that Oțelul has not laid down its weapons for the play-offs: “If we get six points, things can change. The teams in front of us play with each other and you never know what can happen. We have to collect points, including for the play-outs, because they are extremely important.”
He also states that any team that will play in the play-out must beware of the danger of relegation, giving as an example what happened to Sepsi last season. Covăsnenians were relegated, after fighting for a play-off place, until the end of the regular season.
I saw what happened to Sepsis last yearis an example for everyone. They missed the play-offs, finished bottom of the line and were relegated directly, failing to reach the play-off.
It's a wake-up call for all the clubs in that area. The gaps are narrowing, you're 20 points ahead and find yourself with only 10 left.
– Cristi Munteanu, president of Oțelul Galati
“We don't care what Gigi Becali said, we only care about us, to be good. Unfortunately, we cannot count on Nuno Pedro, who will be out for about a month due to a muscle tear. Instead, we are glad that Zivulic is coming back. We are going to Cluj confident, with the intention of taking at least one point”, concluded Cristi Munteanu.
“Well, we take U Cluj out of the play-off. Oțelul needs to draw with them and we take them to the direct matches. Yes, the most important match is this one, Oțelul with U Cluj. It's the most important because it's direct, that is, if they draw a match, we're on our own after that, we don't have any more work,” said Gigi Becali, the owner of FCSB, which is based in Galați.
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