Article by Alexandru Barbu – Published Thursday, February 26, 2026, 1:21 p.m. / Updated Thursday, February 26, 2026, 1:28 p.m.
Raul Rusescu, 37 years old, triple champion of Romania, had a vehement reaction on the topic of the moment in Romanian football: 34 home searches regarding match-fixing in League 3 ♦ The targeted club, CS Păulești ♦ Among those involved, Gabi Matei (36), Rusescu's former colleague from FCSB.
Raul Rusescu, about Gabi Matei and the match-fixing scandal: “The authorities must not stop here”
“Not much to say… Let the police do their duty. If these things happened, these people deserve what is happening to them.
Marica clearly told us on the podcast that there are tops in the 2nd League and everyone closes their eyes. So the authorities don't have to stop there. It's very good that they started, to continue on this path. I hope there will not be similar cases in League 1. Until you have other evidence, you cannot accuse. Now there is probably solid evidence in the Păulești case.
The total fraud is 160,000 euros? With so many people involved? God forbid! I have nothing against them, but you must be a bad idiot to do these things. You better quit football. I mean for 10,000 euros each, let's say, do you do that?! In fact, you don't do that for a penny in the world! Although there are people who say: “For a certain amount, I'll go to prison”…”, declared Raul Rusescu, present Thursday in the GSP Live studio.
Asked if he ever suspected Matei during the time they were colleagues at FCSBRusescu answered as follows: “No, no… I remember he had formidable physical qualities, he was good. He was injured at the beginning of the season, then he kept relapsing, he had other problems…”.
- Matei, a right defender, resigned from Păulești at the beginning of the year, then signed with CSO Vălenii de Munte, another 3rd League team from Prahova.
- Gabi Matei played in 4 different seasons at FCSB, between 2011 and 2015, and is a double champion with the red-blues (2013 and 2014 titles). He also has a Romanian Cup and a League Cup in his record with FCSB.
EXCLUSIVE PHOTO: Gabi Matei, in handcuffs at the Ploiesti Prosecutor's Office
Today, around 11:40, Gabi Matei (in a black jacket) arrived at the Prosecutor's Office. He put his hood on his head when he saw the reporters photographing him.
The former FCSB defender was handcuffed by Marius Sanda (in blue tracksuit), former teammate of Matei in Păulești, also involved in the case. The two entered the hearings tied to each other, as can be seen in the images captured by GSP photojournalist Andrei Furnigă:
Matei and Sanda are questioned in the case of match-fixing for bets. There would be illicit gains of 840,000 lei, approximately 165,000 euros, according to the authorities.
