Article by Maria Olteanu – Published Sunday, March 15, 2026, 2:40 p.m. / Updated Sunday, March 15, 2026, 2:43 p.m.
Victor Angelescu, the president and minority shareholder of Rapid, had a tough message for Cătălin Cîrjan (23 years old), Dinamo's captain, after the events of Saturday nightfrom the match that ended 3-2 for Giulești in the first stage of the play-off.
Cirjan scored the 2nd goal in the derby, and immediately he reacted by defiantly putting his hands to his ears, as if to convey: “Let me hear you now!”. After the match, he said the gesture was not intended Dan Sucuthe team's patron, and a few hours away from that moment, Angelescu intervened, suspecting that, in fact, the gesture was dedicated to him.
“Don't let it be understood that it was for Mr. Șucu, I respect him for what he does in Romanian football, but certain people there were, I think, against me when I was at Rapid. They didn't even want me to succeed and that's what I felt I had to do. So the gesture was not for Mr. Șucu”said Cîrjan, after the match, in the flash-interview.
In response, Angelescu had an extremely harsh message for him, telling how he was treated at Rapid and what were the reasons why he didn't stay.
Victor Angelescu, harsh message to Cătălin Cîrjan: “I was shocked by his gesture, really ugly”
Cătălin Cîrjan's gesture after scoring in Rapid – Dinamo / photo: Cristi Preda (GSP)
“There is karma, I've said it before. Their problem is that they have to understand that the match lasts 90 minutes. Do what Armstrong did in the 6th minute, or what Cîrjan did in the 49th minute means that you think you will win. We saw at the end who won.
But I understand, we also have teams that we have had a hard time with. Adrian Mititelu's Craiova was one of them, now it is U Cluj. Haven't won with them in a few seasons. I understand the frustration, it's a derby, to lead 1-0, 2-1 and lose 2-3 I'm sure it's not pleasant. Dinamo has a valuable team, but we were better.
Cîrjan's gesture really shocked me. Very ugly, in my opinion. I also saw the statement, he tried to give it that it was not for Mr. Șucu, it was for others. Which others? From the old guard there are still me and Mr. Șucu. The gesture could be addressed to both of them, to Mr. Șucu or to me.
We really wanted Cîrjan, including in the lower leagues, before he left for Arsenal. There were quite a lot of efforts to bring him on loan from Arsenal. Mr. Șucu called him to his home, with his family, talked to his family, talked to the manager, gave him money to sign. Although he was a junior and had not played in the seniors. He started the first matches as a starter. I didn't see Bergodi near us, maybe he made those gestures.
He had a very good salary for a junior. He had all the conditions with us. What's more, I had discussions with the coaches once every two weeks, with the president Daniel Nicuale, with Bergodi, with Mr. Șucu. Once every two weeks, Mr. Șucu would ask: 'Mr.' Bergodi, are you still putting Cîrjan in? Is he still playing?', and Mr. Bergodi said to him: 'Mr. Șucu, Cîrjan has no respect for Rapid. He's not a Rapid player, it's hard to play at the moment!'.
This is the situation with Cîrjan. He had nothing against the Rapid. The supporters supported him, Giulesti was not booed when he left and came back. He had no reason to do this gesture, it's childish. You can't become a great footballer if you do that.
You received salaries, money from here, no one told you anything. They should also think about him if he played well for us. This shows Cîrjan's character, let's see if he will do the same to Dinamo when he leaves”, explained Victor Angelescu, quoted by fanatik.ro.
Made fun of by the speedsters in the locker room
After Saturday's match, some of Costel Gâlcă's students they did not want to remain indebted to Cătălin Cîrjan, for the way he decided to celebrate the success and they imitated him in the locker room, in the form of irony.
In addition to Dobre, in the foreground of the image, Andrei Borza, Daniel Paraschiv, Marian Aioani, Claudiu Petrila, Răzvan Onea, Dejan Iliev, Gabriel Gheorghe and Andrei Șucu, one of the sons of the majority shareholder from Giulesti, also made this gesture.
Group photo of the rapid players after 3-2 with Dinamo // photo: Facebook @ FC Rapid
Cîrjan's first adventure in Romanian football, at the senior level, was at Rapid, the team that loaned him from Arsenal in the summer of 2023. He made 19 appearances in Giulesti, without scoring, and in the summer of 2024 he came free of contract to Dinamo, where he now has the captain's armband on his arm.
