Article by Ionuţ Coman, Cezar Titor, Mihai Șovei – Published Saturday, February 28, 2026, 22:52 / Updated Saturday, February 28, 2026 22:53
CFR Cluj prevailed on the field of Farul Constanța, score 2-1, and achieved its 10th consecutive victory in the Superiga, as well as qualifying for the play-off of the competition.
At the end of the game, Ianis Zicu, the coach of Constanta, made a show at the press conference. He blamed tonight's refereeing, saying his team had 2 missed penalty kicks.
Ianis Zicu: “We were collateral victims”
“It was a tough game. We controlled the start of the game and were the team that came into the game better. Unfortunately, at the first opportunity, the opponent managed to score. In the chaos created by that very early goal, came the second one, a semi-own goal.
From 2-0 it is very difficult to play against an opponent who defends very low. However, we scored in the second half, we were the better team and I think we were clearly disadvantaged by two refereeing mistakes. We opened up, we tried to play, but we were surprised in those two moments. For a sportsman it is hard to digest such a result, especially when you are leading 2-0 in the first 30 minutes. We didn't have enough lucidity to be more dangerous. We took the ball to the side areas, we managed to cross, but we lacked quality in the final third.
Those in the VAR room did not have the good will to call the “central”. At least if he came and took over, he would suspend him, that's how he suspends the one in the VAR room for 20 or 25 rounds. It is not normal for there to be two moments and he is not called to at least one of them, I am not saying to both.
It's something inexplicable and it seems like something malicious not necessarily against us, but we're collateral victims of probably other things that are above and beyond us with the teams that produce the bigger audience. It was an abnormal arbitration, to say the least. He gave only 3 minutes of extra time in the conditions in which he stayed as long as he stayed.
It is the second match in which refereeing mistakes are repeated. We hope we don't end up in a situation where, in the next game, we have three errors, let's go progressively. I believe that the referees in the VAR room should be suspended for 20-25 rounds. The center referee had to be called to review the phases. If we didn't have VAR, the match would probably have gone differently.
A system that should help has become something without limits. We were collateral victims. We play against play-off teams and we end up being trampled, even if unintentionally.
Denis Alibec said since the warm-up that he was a little embarrassed, but he said that he felt fine. The match started, but this muscle problem appeared. It remains to be seen how serious the situation is. From my point of view, CFR Cluj is not stronger than Craiova, Dinamo or Rapid. She was more pragmatic and managed to score from the two moments she had. When you're disadvantaged in this way and the game doesn't help you much, but you have two phases where penalties can be awarded and it doesn't happen, it's normal to get frustrated,” said Ianis Zicu.
Ianis Zicu put on a show at the press conference / photo: GSP Cristi Preda
We, the players, must watch the game and not comment on refereeing decisions. But it hurts us too when we see that we have two clear penalties and they were not awarded. The referee said the phases were being checked, but then let play continue. I'm happy to score, but I couldn't help today, so I can't be happy.
– Alexandru Ișfan, the goal scorer of the Lighthouse
