Article by Adrian Duţă – Published Friday, 15 May 2026 23:00 / Updated Saturday, 16 May 2026 00:35
The season still hasn't consumed all its battles, but one thing is officially over Arges – Rapid 2-2: the people of Giulești will once again finish in 5th or 6th place and watch with dismay as their fellow citizens in red and white overtake them, something unthinkable 3-4 years ago.
Dinamo will finish above Rapid, it is mathematically established. But, until the reasons that led to this outcome, a little recapitulation of the last years.
Dinamo, from League 2 to top 4. Rapid, subscribed to 5 and 6
We return in the spring of 2022. A different era was expected at Rapid. Dan Șucu, a primarily civilized businessman, known from Pro TV, became a shareholder.
At the first conference, he announced a revolution in Romanian football, attacked and mocked his new rivals: Gigi Becali, Ioan Varga, Laszlo Dioszegi. Nothing about Dinamo, which was on the edge of the precipice. And he would fall into it.
The “Dogs” were relegated to the Premier League at the end of the 2021-2022 season. They played in League 2, they were promoted dramatically, and in the first season after their return they were in the last two places 90% of the time and saved themselves at the play-off. Then they returned to the play-offs in 2024-2025, and this season Dinamo will finish in the top 4 and have a chance to return to Europe.
In all this interval, “Salzburg of Romania”, as Țucu planned to transform Rapid, remained in place. He only changed the 5th to the 6th place from one year to the next and cracked in every play-off.
Şucu and Angelescu either don't know how to do it at all or are completely uninspired
But how did it get here? The management of the Rapid cannot be accused of not wanting to. The two owners, Dan Șucu and Victor Angelescu, invested.
They can be accused of an incredible lack of inspiration or a lack of football skill. Because, first of all, the decisions taken by the heads of Dinamo and Rapid led to the outcome at the end of the 2025-2026 season.
Dan Șucu and Victor Angelescu, shareholders from Rapid/ photo: Imago Images
Huge difference between coaches
They chose the coaches. Those from Dinamo were inspired with Zeljko Kopic, the people from Giulești start every season with a different man on the bench.
Kopic brought stability, clear ideas and leadership. He's the boss in the locker room and everyone knows it. He has the final say on transfers, which means that the team doesn't miss much when bringing starters. We do not take into account promising rifles such as Tarbă, Caragea or Mazilu.
Instead, Rapid bet on dead hands after the dismissal of Bergodi, two years ago. Neil Lennon did not get the autumn jacket, Marius Șumudică talked more than he trained, as he has been doing for several years, and Constantin Gâlcă lost the locker room along the way and crashed the team in the play-offs.
The management of the Rapid needs a radical change of perspective. It is no longer possible with technicians who have not performed for a decade.
When you have Edi Iordănescu and Daniel Pancu at your disposal, the only dilemma would be who to choose between the two. Once you've done that, just hand them the helm and step back. The chances of getting the podium automatically increase compared to the seasons with Lennon, Şumudica and Gâlcă at the helm.
The difference also in transfers
With less funds, Dynamo were more inspired in transfers than rivals. They lost three starters last year, Homawoo, Olsen and Selmani, but managed to replace them.
Stoinov, Musi, Karamoko were the transfers that contributed to the club's jump this season. In addition, he gave rival FCSB the stake of the decade, selling Politic for one million euros plus Musi.
On the other hand, the Giulio team have not made any transfers in the last three mercato periods. The leaders of Rapid took a former footballer, Koljic, but also people completely out of shape, such as Moruțan and Paraschiv. Players brought in with outside hopes like Baroan and Talisson didn't matter either.
Şucu and Angelescu did not find the formula for the other management positions
Another aspect out of Țucu and Angelescu's control is that of office workers.
The club from Giulești has had a different president at each start of the season in the last three years. Daniel Niculae, Viorel Moldovan and Angelescu himself occupied this position.
Daniel Sandu and Mauro Pederzoli have been sporting directors for the past year and a half. At the beginning of the next season, the position will be officially occupied by Marius Bilașco.
As with the coaches, the inconsistency in the box did not lead to the results expected by the majority shareholder.
At Dinamo, it is largely the same management for the last three years, with Andrei Nicolescu as the main decision-maker. Rare changes were not felt.
Rapid's stagnation, failure in every play-off and the failure of every goal can be blamed on all those who have passed through Giulesti in recent years. But the biggest blame lies with the two people who own the club.
