Article by Tudor Belivacă – Published Thursday, 14 May 2026 18:36 / Updated Friday, 15 May 2026 03:19
The crisis situation at the handball section of Steaua Bucharest continues. Although they led the domestic second echelon with detachment, the “military” risk not promoting due to the team's disqualification due to debts to former players.
Those from Steaua reached 9 penalty points due to late payments to three players: Nemanja Grbovic, Marko Davidovic and Admir Ahmetasevic.
Initially, the penalty was only three points, but this increased due to delays. The payments would have been completed on May 12, according to handbalmania.ro.
The star may lose promotion due to penalties
Steaua, the most successful team in Romanian handball, was relegated at the end of last season from the Zimbri League. In this season he led the second division, but financial problems are holding him back.
In the promotion play-off, Steaua had a consistent lead, but the penalties brought it to a tie with CSO Teutonii Ghimbav, CSU Pitesti and CS Medgidia. All 4 teams have 16 points and there are still two stages to play. Depending on the results game, the Star may not be promoted.
In stage #13 “military” and Medgidia will not play because the match was played in the regular season, victory 30-41 for Steaua. So, the Army club can still accumulate a maximum of 2 points.
In stage #13, CSU Pitesti plays at home with Dinamyc Zalău, and Teutonii Ghimbav travel to Oradea for a match with the local team.
In the last stage, Steaua will play at home with CSM Oradea, and the team from Ghimbav will play with CSU Pitesti at home. Only one team is promoting, and Ghimbav and Pitesti are the main favorites because they have two more matches to play, unlike Medgidia and Steaua.
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Stage #13: CSM Odorhei – CSM Făgăraș, CSU Pitesti – Dinamyc Zalău and CSM Oradea – CSO Teutonii Ghimbav
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Stage #14: Steaua București – CSM Oradea, CSO Teutonii Ghimbav – CSU Pitesti, CSM Făgăraș – CS Medgidia and Dinamyc Zalău – CSM Odorhei.
Ranking in the play-off for promotion to the National League
Steaua Bucharest, the most titled team in Romanian handball
Steaua Bucharest is in the second men's handball division for the second time, after being relegated in 2012, 6 years after winning the EHF Challange Cup.
The club's record includes two Champions Cup trophies (1968, 1977) and two other finals in the most important European inter-club competition (1971, 1989).
The red-blues have 28 titles in Romania, an absolute record. The last one was conquered 18 years ago, in 2008. Steaua also has 7 handball championship titles in 11 players, obtained in the period 1950-1961.
