Maximum tension is announced at Steel

After the score loss against FCSB, the team from the Danube bank urgently needs points in order not to risk an emotional end to the season. On the other side, “Old Lady” is the leader of the hierarchy, and the victories with Metaloglobus and FC Botoșani considerably increased the morale of Adrian Mihalcea's students.

The match is likely to be played in a tense atmosphere, as the steel workers are unhappy with wage delays and are preparing a protest. Just a few days before Easter, Lameira & co. they only received 20% of the January salary.

Diego Zivulic will mark the match with number 100 in the Superliga, all in the Danube jersey.

Oțelul – UTA, live from 17:30

The starting teams at Oțelul – UTA

Steel (4-2-3-1): Dur-Bozoancă – Zhelev, Zivulic, Iacob, Kazu – Ciobanu, Lameira – Bană, Andrezinho, Luan – Patrick
reserves: Bordun, Chira, Conrado, Debeljuh, DE Neicu, DC Neicu, Ne Lopes, B. Paz, N. Pedro, I. Popescu, A. Rus, D. Sandu
Absent:-
Coach: Stjepan Tomas

UTA (4-2-3-1): Gorcea – F. Iacob, Poulolo, Pospelov, Alomerovic – Odada, Mino – Abdallah, A. Roman, Țăroi – M. Coman
reserves: Benga, Ciubăncan, Hrezdac, L. Mihai, Stolnik, Tolcea, Tordai, Țuțu, Van Durmen
Abents: O. Popescu (out of the squad), A. Padula, M. Tzionis, Gojkovic, A. Matei (injured), Sejdiu, Ndon (not registered)
Coach: Adrian Mihalcea

Stadium: Steel (Galatians)
Referee: Cristian Moldoveanu (Saint George)
ASSISTANT: Imre-Laszlo Bucsi (Sfântu Gheorghe) and Ionuț Neacșu (Bucharest)
VAR referee: Marcel Bîrsan (Bucharest) / Referee AVAR: Andrei Chivulete (Bucharest)

8victories, 4 draws and 5 defeats is the record recorded by the Galatasaray team in the current season at home.

It will be a difficult game also because we know UTA's position in the play-out ranking. We meet a good team, very strong physically, with very good individuals. First, we must respond to them with aggression and intensity. We know our situation, we know how we have to respond in these conditions, but, first of all, we have to be calm and play with confidence, in front of the fans. We are playing at home, the weather is good and I hope the fans will come to the stadium to support us. I think we will play a good game and get the three points.
– Stjepan Tomas, Oțelul coach

5out of 16 away games, the Arad team won this season. 6 times they finished in a tie

They weren't easy games and they won't be easy games. And as I ask the boys not to derail from this path, to think only of what comes next, I want to do the same. That is, to have peace and to prepare as well as possible in the first phase for the following matches. There may also be changes due to the strategy we want to use in the match with Oțelul, but we are still evaluating and thinking, to choose from the beginning of the match the most competitive team.
– Adrian Mihalcea, UTA coach

The most interesting information before Oțelul – UTA

• The two teams have met in the main domestic competition 18 times, the Galatasarays won seven times, the Aradians won four times, and the other seven games ended in a draw.

• UTA is without a win on the field of the Moldovan group, the record of the Arada players as guests includes only four draws in eight trips.

• The first confrontation took place on December 1, 1993, Oţelul – UTA 0-0, coaches Aurel Ţicleanu and Nicolae Dumitrescu respectively.

• Most goals: November 13, 2023, UTA – Oțelul 2-4.

• The biggest score difference in the championship: October 19, 2025, UTA – Oțelul 0-4.

• The most recent direct match in the Romanian Superliga: February 20, 2026, Oțelul – UTA 2-2 (scorers: Daniel Bană, Conrado Holz / Florent Poulolo, Flavius ​​Iacob).

Superliga standings – Play-out