20 years since FCSB's successful UEFAntastic season! » What happened then in the group is incredible + the change of coach came out of nowhere

The UEFA fantastic campaign of the red-blues has been a real rollercoaster. But among the changes on the technical bench and in the first “11”, the then champion of Romania kept an incredible constancy in terms of European matches, achieving spectacular victories, at the end of matches worthy of the history books. And in which he surpassed the performance of the previous season, when with Walter Zenga on the bench he reached the “eights” of the UEFA Cup.

Champions League disappointment and UEFA Cup 'revenge'

FCSB started the season with Ukrainian Oleg Protasov on the bench and a first European disappointment. From the position of champion, they entered the 2nd round of the UEFA Champions League preliminaries, where they had no problems with Shelbourne (0-0 and 4-1). Then, it suffered a real disappointment, being eliminated by Rosenborg (1-1 in Bucharest and 2-3 in Norway).

The last round of the UEFA Cup preliminaries sent the red-blues also to Norway, for the duel with Valerenga. And there were two crushing victories: 3-0 away and 3-1 at home.

And FCSB was in a group with Lens, Hertha Berlin, Sampdoria and Halmstad. Matches were played in one leg, and the Romanians were unstoppable, finishing in first place, with two wins and two draws. No goal conceded!

Players FCSB used in the 2005 – 2006 season:

• Vasili Hamutovski, Carlos Fernandes, Cornel Cernea, George Ogăraru, Dorin Goian, Sorin Ghionea, Eugen Baciu, Mihai Neșu, Petre Marin, Daniel Bălan, Florentin Dumitru, Bănel Nicoliță, Sorin Paraschiv, Mirel Rădoi, Gabriel Boștina, Nicolae Dica, Victoraș Iacob, Daniel Oprița, Vasilica Cristocea, Florin Lovin, Andrei Cristea, Laurențiu Diniță

• Coaches: Oleg Protasov, Cosmin Olăroiu

FCSB– Lens 4-0, lesson for the French

The first group match was played at home on October 20. The opponents were the French from Lens, but they had no chance. The red-blues were 3-0 at halftime, the final score being 4-0. Iacob (13), Goian (16) and Dică (45, 63) were the scorers. In the end, the French recognized the superiority of the Romanians, declaring that FCSB's place was in the Champions League, not in the UEFA Cup.

• FCSB: Hamutovski – Ogăraru, Goian, Ghionea, Neșu – Nicoliță, Rădoi, Paraschiv, Boștina – Dica, Iacob

• Reserves: Cernea, Oprița, An. Cristea, Lovin, Fl. Dumitru, Baciu, P. Marin

• Coach: Oleg Protasov

Unique detail: FCSB found out the tactics of the opponents on the day of the match. How?

At around 11:00, while the employees of a company were placing the billboards around the land in Ghencea, one of them, Ion Plop, noticed two A3 sheets behind one of the gates, which caught his attention. They were the tactical notes of the coach of Lens, Francis Gillot, for the match against the red-blues.

Most likely, the technician had lost them on the turf during the official training session the night before. The man immediately notified MM Stoica, who was at the stadium, who then went to the famous IDM club, where the players and staff were relaxing before the match. And he showed those sheets to Oleg Protastov.

FCSB started the match so stormy that Becali missed the first two goals. The boss of the team, who then came to the stadium match after match, arrived in the 15th minute, due to the crowding. And he revealed that he saw Iacob's goal on the TV in Maybach, and he missed Goian's goal, because at that time he was going up to the lodge in Ghencea.

Sampdoria – FCSB 0-0: one step into the next round

This was followed, on November 3, by a trip to Italy, where the opponent was Sampdoria, at that time a strong team in Serie A. But Oleg Protasov's team held strong, in a match played many times on the counter. Sampdoria had the important chances in the first half, but Belarusian Hamutovski closed the gate. And in the end Dică (70) and Iacob (85) missed the chance of victory. But with 4 points in the first two matches, FCSB was one step into the “16th”.

• FCSB: Hamutovski – Ogăraru, Goian, Ghionea, Neșu – Nicoliță, Paraschiv, Lovin, Boștină – Dica, V. Iacob

• Reserves: Cernea, Baciu, Oprița, An. Cristea, P. Marin, Dinita, Fl. Dumitru

• Coach: Oleg Protasov

FCSB – Halmstad 3-0: qualification with Traian Băsescu and Olăroiu in the stands. Oleg Protasov was thinking of leaving

After the draw with Sampdoria, FCSB achieved a control victory against the Swedes from Halmstad, 3-0, thanks to the goals scored by Rădoi, Goian and Victoraș Iacob. The red-blues dominated their opponent, playing an extremely offensive game, they missed the goal several times, apart from the three successes.

The match was played on November 30, at a time when FCSB was preparing for an important change. Oleg Protasov had announced that he might return to Ukraine due to family problems, while the fans tried every match to make him stay.

The match with Halmstad produced two unique moments. Cosmin Olăroiu came to the match and stayed in the box, this after Gigi Becali had announced that he would be the new coach. Also in the box, right between Becali and the president of the red-blues, Marius Lăcătuș, was also Traian Băsescu, the then president of Romania. He arrived at the stadium in the 22nd minute, coming on his own initiative.

• FCSB: Hamutovski – Ogăraru, Goian, Ghionea, Neșu – Nicoliță, Paraschiv, Rădoi, Boștina – Dica, V. Iacob

• Reserves: Cernea, Baciu, Lovin, An. Cristea, P. Marin, Dinita, Fl. Dumitru

• Coach: Oleg Protasov

Hertha – FCSB 0-0: the champion dominated the match in Germany

The second trip from the group stage ended the same as the first, 0-0. This time in Germany, on the field of Hertha, a team that looked excellent in the championship that season.

Again with Olăroiu in the stands, alongside Becali, Lăcătuș and MM Stoica, FCSB dominated the game, having the great opportunities, the biggest one being that of Iacob, who sent in the crossbar in the 53rd minute. This while Hamutovski had a quiet game, the Germans hardly having chances to score.

It was the end of an incredible run for the red-blues. 1st place with 8 points, 7 goals scored and none conceded. And FCSB was preparing for a new European spring. One like no other.

• FCSB: Hamutovski – Ogăraru, Goian, Ghionea, Neșu – Nicoliță, Paraschiv, Rădoi, Boștina – Dica, V. Iacob

• Reserves: Cernea, Fl. Dumitru, Lovin, Diniță, D. Bălan, P. Marin, An. crystal

• Coach: Oleg Protasov

Double with Heerenveen, settled in the round

For FCSB there followed a trip to Holland and a duel with Heerenveen. The red-blues continued their exceptional performances in the group and solved the qualification already in the round. With a decisive 3-1, even though the Dutch opened the scoring in the 24th minute.

FCSB responded quickly, through Nicolae Dică (29), and in the end the match was decided by two defensive players, in just two minutes. Dorin Goian (76) and Sorin Paraschiv (78) set the final score.

• FCSB: Carlos – Ogăraru, Goian, Ghionea, Neșu – Nicoliță, Rădoi, Paraschiv, Boștină – Dica, Iacob

• Reserves: Cernea, Baciu, P. Marin, An. Cristea, Lovin, Oprița, Cârstocea

• Coach: Cosmin Olăroiu

That was the first match for Cosmin Olăroiu on the red-blue bench.

On the return played on the former “Lia Manoliu”, the match was a closed one, in which FCSB protected the result from the round. The Dutch prevailed 1-0, through a goal scored in the 85th minute by Bruggink.

• FCSB: Carlos – Ogăraru, Goian, Baciu, Neșu – Nicoliță, Rădoi, Paraschiv, Boștină – Dica, Iacob

• Reserves: Cernea, D. Bălan, P. Marin, An. Cristea, Lovin, Oprița, Cârstocea

• Coach: Cosmin Olăroiu