Article by Andrei Crăiţoiu, Carmen Dumitru – Published Friday, 03 April 2026 22:06 / Updated Friday, 03 April 2026 23:06
Rapid continues to outline the management team for the next season and, after presenting Marius Bilașco as sports director, now they want to clap with Cristi Balaj, who will be the president of the club from the summer.
It is rapidly going through a period of massive leadership change: today, Marius Bilașco was announced deputy sports directorfollowing that from the summer, when the separation from Mauro Pederzoli will take place, he will become full-fledged sports director.
But Bilașco is not the only man linked to CFR Cluj who will arrive in Giulesti. Rapid also wants to clap hands with Cristian Balaj, former referee and ex-president in Gruia, who left CFR in the fall of 2025.
Rapid Agreement – Cristi Balaj: is the president coming to Giulesti?
There is talk behind the scenes that the imminent arrival of Balaj in Giulești is one of the reasons why Marius Bilașco also accepted the proposal of the white-cherries.
Cristi Balaj was present at several home matches of Rapid in the last months, but so far he has not spoken at all about a possible “transfer”.
primasport.ro originally wrote about the agreement between Rapid and Balaj.
Victor Angelescu remains “only” a shareholder
The current president, Victor Angelescu, will remain a minority shareholder in the club if Balaj ends up in Grant, but without an executive position.
In the fall of 2025, Angeles with the story on the set of GSP, on the show “Prietenii lui Ovidiu”:
“In football, it is very difficult to find a president to lead a club. And then, this year, we made the decision, after trying several options, that one of me and Mr. Șucu be president.
I have an office at the club, but there's nothing written on the door. All the presidents sat there. I spend a lot of time at the club, between six and eight hours a day. So far I have not received a salary! It is a discussion, but no, so far I have not been remunerated”.
