Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published on Saturday, 21 March 2026, 00:39 / Updated on Saturday, 21 March 2026 00:45
Daniel Pancu, the coach of CFR Cluj, reacted after the victory in Gruia, score 1-0even against the team for which he played and was captain, Rapid.
The only goal of the game was scored by Korenica, in the 78th minute, after a well-constructed phase by the Transylvanian team. For CFR and Pancu, this is the 11th success in the last 12 Superliga matches.
Daniel Pancu, after CFR – Rapid 1-0: “We became the best team this year”
The Cluj coach highlighted the team's excellent form and the players' mentality:
“The character of the players can be seen in the way they fight for every ball, in the chances they create. Since I've been here, I haven't scored in a single match, in Pitesti, although I've had as many chances as home. On the other hand, here at home, we have won 7-8-9 games and we look very good, especially at home.
Again we became the best team this year, we went three points over U Cluj, and I'm thinking about 1st place. If everyone sees Rapid as a champion, I don't understand why they wouldn't see CFR Cluj as well. We are coming after this series and I am trying to convince my players that we have a chance. Maybe we have an advantage in tradition.
We'll see what U Cluj does tomorrow, which is second in tradition after us. We finished well, we're recovering well, I hope we'll be healthy and continue to get points”, said Pancu, at Prima Sport.
Daniel Pancu: “The match with FCSB was decisive”
Pancu also spoke about the key moment of the season, but also about the fight for the title:
These things come from the past, from the tradition and the culture of the club, but all in all, the most important are the points obtained since I have been here, which gives us peace of mind. There are still some problems with the license to be solved, and until the match with Craiova I think we can be up to date with our debts. It seemed completely crazy, but I think the FCSB game was decisive. If they had won, they would have had three more points and we would have played in the play-out. It's good here, they play at Champions League hours, with nocturnes, and it's perfect.
– Daniel Pancu
Asked about the “tricolor” match, Pancu said: “The Turks are probably better than us, it's those amounts that are worth as much as a whole team. But Romania has assets: the national team, players developing in Turkey, or Radu Drăgușin. We also have many assets. If they had played at our place, it would have been different“.
Play-off standings
