Article by Alin Buzărin – Published Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 3:42 p.m. / Updated Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 3:42 p.m.
Let's review the recent performances of two of our football's most experienced centre-backs. We will notice interesting things
The original and classic Miron Cristea was patriarch of Romania for about a century (1925-1938), and even for a short period, prime minister. Our contemporaries Andrei Miron and Iulian Cristea played together for a while (at FCSB), when I called them in a text “a defensive line with the name of a patriarch”. Now they lead separate lives, at Botoșani and at “U” Cluj, teams that “gloriously” missed this end of the season. Not only because of the fault of the two, because football is a team game. But also with their “contribution”.
In “old age”, mistakes are more clearly seen
We leave the autumn of the patriarch to its author, the incomparable Gabriel Garcia Marquez. We analyze the not very fruitful spring of the patriarchs from Cluj and Botoșani. 32 years, the age of both, is not a patriarchal age, because we associate the image of the classic patriarchs with a long white beard. But in football 32 years is an age of experience, until which, as a central defender, you accumulate enough football science, and when you err childishly, let this thing see and irritate.
It stayed in the grass
Iulian Cristea. Photo: Imago Images
Iulian Cristea's problem is not that he missed the decisive penalty in the Cup final, with Craiova. That's why it still happens, players much bigger than him missed the penalty spot. His attitude in the recent decisive derby for the title, in Bănie, is incomprehensible.
At the famous phase with Hamlawi (spent in the 9th minute, at 1-0 for Craiova), which came after the Olt goalkeeper's clearance of about sixty meters. The two, the defender of “U” and the attacker from Palestine, hold each other, again the defender falls, stays there on the grass, leaving a generous plot for the forwarde, for the goal that would decide not only the match, but also the title.
Memories from Banie
Why did the defender stay on the ground? Why, if he saw that he was losing the duel, did he not foul his opponent? He probably wouldn't have been sent off, there were two teammates around, he would have escaped with a yellow card. So, at 0-2 in the 9th minute, what can you do? Remember that you committed it a few times in Banie, not long ago?
He stepped aside, not to splash it
Let's move on to the other veteran, the captain of Botoşani. After the tie with FCSB, Valeriu Iftime recounted how Miron complained to him that he was afraid to come into contact, because Istvan Kovacs was giving the Moldovans card after card. It's true, Kovacs pinched Botoșani with art (he gave warnings to the coaches, head and second, because they laughed!), but in the 20th minute, the one for the equalizing goal scored by Joao Paulo, Miron still didn't have a yellow card, he was going to collect it only at the end of the first half.
What does the captain make of the strong rise of the Cape Verdean central midfielder? Follow the pictures! He simply pulls to the side, like a pedestrian who doesn't want to be splashed by a car going through a puddle!
Well empty rather than yellow
At 3-3, in overtime, the brave captain has another incomprehensible attitude. In the phase with Tavi Popescu's superb slalom, ended with the goal of the red-blue qualification, Miron could have intervened, but avoided it, as if he wanted not to take the paint from “George”. He was afraid of yellow, wasn't he, as he told the boss? Does it still matter in the 107th minute? You better let him score, right? That if you take a penalty and FCSB misses, and Botoșaniul beats on penalty kicks, then you don't play the “final” with Dinamo! So not only are you not playing, no one from Botoșani is playing anymore! Is it better?
- Video source: Prima Sport 1
