Article by Maria Olteanu – Published on Thursday, 21 May 2026, 20:48 / Updated on Thursday, 21 May 2026 20:48
Daniel Pancu (48 years old), the coach of CFR Cluj, held the last press conference of this season on Thursday, before the match with FC Argeș, which will take place on Friday evening, from 20:30, in Gruia, liveTEXT on GSP.ro and on TV on Prima Sport 1 and Digi Sport 1.
This match could be the last for the Cluj coach, who has been talked about lately that he would move to Giulesti, to take over Rapid, who will remain without a contract, after Costel Gâlcă will leave, failing to fulfill the club's goal, qualifying for the European Cups.
At the last press conference of this season, Pancu admitted that it is not excluded that this will be his last match at the helm of Cluj, but he made it clear that things are far from resolved, as it is a termination clause that those who want him will have to pay.
Daniel Pancu, face to face with possibly the last match at CFR: “If someone wants me and wants to pay the termination clause and I agree with the conditions, it is possible for us to part”
“I have no news about Rapid or anyone. We are happy for Ciprian Deac and for my progress. It's also for me, because, yes, there are chances that it will be the last game on the CFR bench. I do not hide this. But as long as absolutely nothing is certain, tomorrow we rejoice. It's a successful year that could, with the way the team looks, if there were a few more stages, we could be champions. But let's not upset God, we achieved our goal.
I don't know, you can see all kinds of news in the newspapers. I just found out I'm the highest paid coach. This week many things are written, but without responsibility. There's no staying, I have a termination clause that must be paid. I'm under contract, I don't have any details to give at the moment. I am bound to CFR by contract.
If someone wants me and wants to pay the termination clause and the conditions suit me, it is possible to break up, but everything on documents, on deeds, not on words, on rumors”said Daniel Pancu, at the press conference before the match in the 10th stage of the play-off.
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With Daniel Pancu at the helm, CFR Cluj had a fabulous comeback, managing to reach third place, securing qualification for the Conference League preliminaries
Daniel Pancu, thinking of Ciprian Deac, facing the last match of his career
Friday night's match will have a special charge for the cherry legend, Ciprian Deac, who will put an end to his football career at the age of 40.
It's definitely a special match for all CFR fans. A legend has come to an end. The moment could not be a better one in the context of the season we have gone through. Ciprian has an official withdrawal game where there is no result pressure. I don't care about the result of tomorrow's game.
It is important that the people, the supporters, whom he made so many times happy, come to the game in as large a number as possible and applaud him for the last time in an official match. He deserves everything that happens to him, he did a lot for Romanian football and for CFR Cluj in particular. He helped me enormously through the joy of the moments lived on the football field.
Whenever I turned my head and saw him warming up, he was the most enthusiastic player of all. A week ago, I told him that he doesn't even realize how important he was to me during this time.
If a legend accepts his hard-to-accept status, that of being a reserve, of not playing at all in some matches, of playing a few minutes, seconds in other matches, this shows not necessarily the professionalism, but the human quality, which is the basis of all achievements and accomplishments. He was a huge player for CFR Cluj, and tomorrow we enjoy the last official minutes on the lawn with him. I'm sure he'll keep training because you know his passion.
– Daniel Pancu, about Ciprian Deac
VIDEO with the press conference of Daniel Pancu, before the last match of the season
