Cristi Săpunaru hit the ground with a manager from Rapid after the team missed Europe: “It was invisible!”
Article by Alexandru Tomuțiu – Published Friday, May 15, 2026 11:23 p.m. / Updated Friday, May 15, 2026 11:33 p.m.
FC Arges – Rapid 2-2. Cristi Săpunaru (42 years old), the Giulești legend, named one of the main culprits for the situation in which the team ended up.
After a new season in which Rapid missed Europe, Săpunaru believes that the main fault was the players and the technical staff.
He said of Mauro Pederzoli, who came in at the beginning of the season as sporting director, that he did not help at all. The Italian was finally brought to Giulesti, even though the club's bosses seemed to be preparing this position for Săpunaru. The former stopper did not hesitate to “stab” Pederzoli, who will no longer continue at Rapid in the following season.
Cristi Săpunaru attacks Mauro Pederzoli: “He was invisible at Rapid”
“Everyone has a part to blame, including the management. The most important fault, in the end, was on the pitch: the players and the staff. No matter what mistakes the management makes, the ones who enter the field are the players and the one who trains them is the coach.
I was there, and whenever it was difficult for us, the management tried to help us, and the main culprits were us and the coach.
Mauro Pederzoli before Craiova – Rapid // photo: Cristi Preda (GSP.ro)
I have nothing against him, with Mr. Pederzoli, but he was invisible at Rapid. He goes to training, yes. It doesn't seem to me that Dan Șucu got things out of control”, said Cristi Săpunaru, on the show “Fotbal Club”, from Digi Sport.
The ranking from the Superliga play-off
