LIVE. Rapid – CFR Cluj, in round #7 of the Superliga play-off

Costel Gâlcă's team is adrift, plagued by injuries, with only one point obtained in the last four play-off stages and with supporters who have turned their backs on the team.

However, a success tonight could be a fantastic morale boost, with the Giulio team returning to the fight for a place in the European Cups.

On the other hand, the team from Gruia aims to consolidate its place on the podium and hope, at least, for a miraculous title. “Pancone's” boys, once the idol of the stands in Grant, come after two “Italian” victories: 1-0 against FC Argeș and fellow city U Cluj.

LIVE, from 20:30 » Rapid – CFR Cluj

Rapid – CFR Cluj, the likely teams:

Quick (4-3-3): Briciu – Onea, Pașcanu, Kramer, Borza – Grameni, Christensen, Moruțan – Al. Dobre, Paraschiv, Talisson
reserves: Simonia – Todoran, Hazrollaj, Ciobotariu, Hromada, Sălceanu, Țucu, Burmaz, K. Keita
Absent: Aioani (uncertain), Iliev, Manea, Bolgado, Gheorghe, Vulturar, Koljic, Petrila (injured)
Coach: Costel Gâlcă

CFR Cluj (4-2-3-1): M. Popa – Braun, Sinyan, Huja, Camora – Muhar, T. Keita – Korenica, Cordea, Biliboc – Aliev
reserves: Vâlceanu – Abeid, Kun, M. Ilie, Şfaiț, Djokovic, Zahovic, Păun, Fică, Perianu, Gligor, Deac
Absent:-
Coach: Daniel Pancu

Stadium: Giuleşti
Referee: Florin Andrei // A1: George Neacșu, A2: Alexandru Voda
VAR referee: Adrian Cojocaru // Assistant VAR: Ovidiu Artene
Book: George Gaman // Obs. referees: Cristina Babadac

UPDATE 18:20 » The first images from Giulesti

UPDATE 17:00 » Lotul Rapidului for tonight's match: Aioani, included!

A few hours before the game, Rapid announced the squad for tonight's game. Marian Aioani, the starting goalkeeper injured in the derby with Dinamo, is part of the team and there are good chances to be started.

Unavailable: Dejan Iliev (sprain), Cristian Manea (knee problems), Leo Bolgado (knee injury), Gabriel Gheorghe (muscle problems), Jakub Hromada (calf muscle problems) Cătălin Vulturar (shoulder injury), Claudiu Petrila (muscle injury), Elvir Koljic (adductor injury)

• Goalkeepers: Marian Aioani, Adrian Briciu, Alex Şimonia

• defense: Alexandru Pașcanu, Lars Kramer, Denis Ciobotariu, Răzvan Onea, Robert Salceanu, Andrei Borza, David Todoran

• midfielders: Constantin Grameni, Tobias Christensen, Kader Keita, Andrei Șucu, Olimpiu Moruțan

• Strikers: Borisav Burmaz, Drilon Hazrollaj, Alexandru Dobre, Daniel Paraschiv, Talisson

How the Superliga play-off standings look like:

What the two technicians said: “Our last chance” / “We'd rather meet them at another time”

Any player is not forced to play, he feels the bestbut I know he came out of the warm-up, after I saw him come back and I thought everything was fine. That's what you have to ask him to tell you. Let's not develop other things, there is no point, I talk to the players, I ask them, if they tell me they are fit and want to play, I trust them.

It's a game that represents our last chance to fight for a place in the European Cupso we have to play solid both in defense and attack. I think we are facing a team in form, who have grown from game to game and the truth is, it is difficult to break them down, get to their goal and manage to score.

It's a well-organized team, but I want us to be able to attack, make good decisions and be as pragmatic as possible in all aspects.

We had a lot of injuries, we still have seven now and I think this also influenced our game a lot, like Vulturar and several players. At no point did we say they weren't playing X or Y, we were looking for solutions to get others in and move on.

– Costel Gâlcă, coach Rapid

History can never be erasedit's a favorable thing for many because we live in a country where many forget and forget very quickly. History cannot be erased, I expect a reception, certainly better than what I told earlier from other stadiums.

We meet a team with many very good players, but who are not going through a very good moment. I'm under a lot of pressure and, also from experience, I've been telling the players these days that if there's a club or a team that you can consider to be in poor form or almost finished, you could be in for the biggest surprise and run into a super-motivated opponent on a day where they can give you big problems.

This is the Rapid. This has always been the Rapid. That's why we prefer to play against them at a better time, because they are basically playing their last chance against us.

I just know that Petrila is missing, that's all. We have no absentees, we are in good, very good shape. The players are responding very well to training and from that point of view we are optimistic. I expect to see a very, very good version of the Rapid.

– Daniel Pancu, CFR Cluj coach

The most relevant information, provided by Liviu Manolache, Gazeta's statistician:

• March 14, 2026, Rapid-Dinamo 3-2 was the only success succeeded by Giulești in the last seven stages, in the rest two draws and four defeats.

• CFR Cluj achieved 13 victories in the current championship, the most of all competitors.

• Eight of the 15 goals scored by the speedsters from set-pieces were scored following corners.

• The Transylvanian group is the formation with most matches with a goal scored – 31 (Quick – 28).

• For Constantin Gâlcă, the current technician of Rapid, the duel with CFR Cluj it will be the 100th game as a head coach in the Super League.

• The two teams have met in the main domestic competition 53 timesGiulio won 21 times, Cluj won 19 times, and 13 other games ended in a draw.

• Palmares with Rapid host: 26 games – 15 Rapid wins – 5 draws – 6 successes CFR Cluj.

• The first dispute took place on November 19, 1947CFR Bucharest – Ferar 5-1 (B. Marian, I. Lungu – double, Filotti, Comşa / Ferenczi 60).

• The rapid handed today's opponent the most severe defeat in the championship. It happened in March 1949, CFR Bucharest – CFR Cluj 12-2, the title of the chronicle from “Popular Sport” being a suggestive one: “ THE FIGURES HAVE NOT REACHED THE TABLE ANYMORE…”. At the same time, this result also meant the clearest victory in the history of Bucharest on the first stage. Four of the 12 successes bore the signature of Bazil Marian, and three others were achieved by Zavoda I. At the end of the 1948/1949 season, Rapid finished 2nd, while CFR took the B road, from where it would return in 1969.

• Latest Super League head-to-head: March 20, 2026, CFR Cluj-Rapid 1-0, goal scored by Meriton Korenica.

218 matcheshas Daniel Pancu in Rapid's jersey, being a special game for the Transylvanian technician. He managed 69 goals on the first stage for Giulești, winning the title at the end of the 1998-1999 season.