Article by Mihai Mironică – Published Monday, 09 March 2026 22:54 / Updated Monday, 09 March 2026 23:55
If Craiova University is the team of the regular season, CFR Cluj is the team of 2026 in the championship. The fabulous series of 11 consecutive victories of CFR was completed with a triumph to nil with Dinamo. Daniel Pancu is the revelation of the season in the coaching staff of the SuperLiga. Probably no one believed, apart from him, that CFR could still be in the play-offs when the team was on 11 and when the club lost its Hindrich-Emmerlahu-Munteanu backbone in the winter.
At the moment when FCSB experienced the unbelievable counter-performance of missing the play-off, the supporters of the champion built a conspiracy theory with the “evil” Iuliu Mureșan who would have orchestrated a dark pro-CFR campaign with the referees, with everything necessary. It wasn't about that.
There were reasonable suspicions in other eras when Muresan led CFR to championship titles, but now it was primarily about a providential coach and a group of players who reinvented themselves under the baton of Daniel Pancu.
CFR, at high altitude, Dinamo, in dive
CFR clearly led the first half, less clearly the second half, but convincingly won this new game as well, again without conceding a goal at home. OK, Dinamo had a penalty at the end, they also had another huge opportunity to score, but let's not forget that CFR replaced Hindrich with a specialist in saving penalties, Popa.
But it was also clearly seen in this match that CFR is a formation that flies at 10,000 meters altitude, while Dinamo is in a slump with the three defeats in a row in the championship.
CFR has discovered a new gem in the basement of Italian football in Lorenzo Biliboc as it succeeded in the old days with Daniel Bârligea. In the first half, Biliboc made the two most beautiful dribbles of the match, the first of them contributing to the 1-0 goal.
It was a wonder of a shot from Muhar to open the scoring and the Croatian also proves in this regular season finale with his two goals that CFR was not wrong to force the battle with FCSB for the midfielder's signature.
Dinamo should pass the gallery on the game sheet
Epassy committed it again decisively in Dinamo's goal, with Alibek Aliev's goal. It's already a dilemma with whom Dinamo should continue in goal. Cârjan is the symbol of the recent decline of the “dogs”, uninspired in this match, and in the penalty shootout, and in the whole game.
Pop cannot fill the gap left by Karamoko in the center of the attack. Dinamo has its eternal problem with the thin bench, and the inflation of “under” players, five on the field at the end of the game, does not bring anything good to the table. If Dinamo could pass the game sheet and the gallery, exceptional in this match as well, then they would even be a candidate for the title.
However, Dinamo found out this evening that it will go to 20 years with its expectation for a new title. Dinamo does not have the strength of a champion even if, at some point, Pușcaș will also be on the field.
Instead, Daniel Pancu, with a unique speech in our football otherwise characterized by polite statements, is right when he comes with the announcement taken from the bombastic arsenal of contact sports.
Yes, CFR, absolutely unimaginable a few months ago, is submitting its candidacy in the fight for the title. The best team of 2026 has the strength to try to become the best team of 2025-2026.
