Article by Romeo Ene – Published on Tuesday, 03 March 2026 21:48 / Updated on Tuesday, 03 March 2026 21:53
U Cluj – Hermannstadt 2-1. Dorinel Munteanu (57 years old), the guest's technician, reacted after being eliminated from the quarter-finals of the Romanian Betano Cup.
He congratulated his players for the football they played, but took up the refereeing. The reason? A controversial phase happened at the end of the first half, when Alin Chinteș, the defender of U Cluj, touched the ball with his hand inside the box.
Dorinel claims that his team should have benefited from a kick from 11 meters and he took Iulian Călin, who was in the VAR room.
Munteanu refers to the fact that in the VAR room there was an arbitrator member of the PNL, the party whose vice-president is Emil Boc, the mayor of Cluj and a great supporter of the University.
Dorinel Munteanu raged after the elimination from the Romanian Betano Cup: “We know who was in the VAR room”
“We were hopeful not only after Simba's goal, but throughout the game, but as always, a third person or a group, if I may say so, had to step in. From my point of view, it was a handball in the box and we didn't get a shot from 11 yards.
The manner of arbitration was a hostile one, from my point of view. We didn't deserve to lose today. We faced a good team, qualified for the play-offs. We didn't manage to achieve our goal, but congratulations to the boys, we played a good game. I had courage. The first half was balanced.
We also had some cons. We could have scored more and, due to an individual mistake, we lost. We weren't paying attention to an intervention and we got a goal. Sin. It makes a difference just the same, regardless of what other people say. If we say something about arbitration, everything is as they want.
I can't figure it out. At VAR we know who it was. I don't want to comment, let alone the combinations. We lost undeservedly, not on the field, but from other points of view.
There were also positive things. The next goal is the match against Galați, where the points are much more important, because we all know our situation in the standings. With all due respect, we shouldn't have lost today”, said Dorinel Munteanu, on the “Footbal Show” show, from Prima Sport.
The phase that Dorinel Munteanu remembers // PHOTO: Prima Sport capture
For Hermannstadt, the away duel with Oțelul Galati follows on March 8, in the 30th stage, the last of the regular season.
We try to do everything to save ourselves. The team is getting better and better. We are missing a few players, like today, who have been suspended.
– Dorinel MunteanuHermannstadt's coach
