Ovidiu Ioanițoaia, the director of Gazeta Sporturilor, provided his insights during GSP Live regarding Universitatea Craiova’s recent loss to Levski, which ended 0-1. This match was the first leg of their second preliminary round in the Champions League.
Despite the defeat, Ioanițoaia expressed that there remains a chance for qualification in the return match. He highlighted several players who did not meet expectations, including Baiaram, Elisor, and Coelho. Ioanițoaia also previewed the matches of Romanian teams competing in Europe that day.
The matches scheduled included Alashkert against CFR Cluj at 18:00, U Cluj facing Brann at 20:00, and FCSB competing with FK Auda at 20:45.
Ioanițoaia: “Universitatea Craiova Can Overcome Levski”
“To be honest, I expected more from them. Universitatea Craiova performed below my expectations and suffered their first defeat after three months. However, this is a loss that can be overturned in the return leg next week, especially in front of their home crowd. I believe they have enough quality to beat Levski by two goals, but yesterday they left a disappointing impression,” he stated.
Ioanițoaia noted that the team conceded an early goal and felt the central defense underperformed. He acknowledged that Craiova managed to balance the match against the Bulgarians, who fielded eight foreign players, but emphasized that they had opportunities, including chances for Carlos Mora and Nsmiba.
He pointed out that Anzor squandered several chances but also recognized the significant saves made by goalkeeper Laurențiu Popescu, noting that when a team’s best player is the goalkeeper, something is amiss.
Ioanițoaia criticized the visiting team for their aggressive play, suggesting that Craiova was too passive and needed to press more. He expressed dissatisfaction with the central defense, which failed to close down spaces effectively, and mentioned the absence of Al Hamlawi as a factor affecting their attack.
Ioanițoaia on Player Performances
“I was surprised by Elisor’s performance, as many praised him, but I think he should have started with Nsmiba, who added energy to the attack when he came on. Tavares also did not impress. The hope is that in front of the Oblemenco crowd, Craiova can overturn the result. However, yesterday they did not meet expectations and recorded their first defeat in three months,” he remarked.
Ioanițoaia critiqued Coelho’s comments about taking responsibility for the defeat, stating that it lacked conviction. He maintained that while Craiova can still qualify, they fell short in their last outing.
“It’s hard to judge Levski based on just one match, as I haven’t seen them often. They are a hardworking team but lack star quality. Craiova, at times, played tentatively. The most talented player on Craiova, in my opinion, is Baiaram, who I believe will have a career abroad. However, he needs to be more active defensively, as he was partly responsible for the goal conceded,” he added.
Ioanițoaia also previewed upcoming European matches for Romanian teams, stating, “FCSB should ideally win against Auda, a team lacking stature. They are also in a phase of searching for their form, missing key players like Mihai Popescu, Ngezana, and David Miculescu. Let’s see how they utilize new signings.”
He further discussed U Cluj’s challenging match against Brann and CFR Cluj’s situation, noting ongoing financial difficulties. Despite these hurdles, he remained optimistic about their chances against Alashkert, emphasizing that CFR Cluj should ideally secure a win given the disparity in team valuations.
