Ricardo Sousa, the 47-year-old coach of Petrolul Ploiești, expressed his satisfaction following his team’s impressive 3-1 victory against Botoșani in the 13th round of the Superliga. This win marks a significant achievement for Petrolul, as it is their seventh victory of the season, placing them with a total of 23 points in the standings, just four points behind U Cluj, who are set to play later this evening.
Sousa expressed his happiness about the team’s performance on a field where Botoșani had not lost since early March, when they were last defeated by Petrolul. “We displayed quality, value, and character. It will be tough for any team that visits us here. This is Botoșani’s first home defeat this season, and I am very pleased. I made a bet with my players to finish the year in fourth place,” he remarked.
He noted that achieving this goal will require winning two more matches. Sousa acknowledged the lack of faith some have in his team, as many expected Petrolul to lose against Botoșani, but he believes their recent performances, including a good match against Farul, have shown their potential.
Financial stability is not a concern for Sousa, as he stated, “From day one, everything that was promised to me has been fulfilled. It’s not just about the players; it’s about the entire group. We have demonstrated a certain strength this season that allows us to occupy this position. It will be very tough to stay here, but we can dream.”
Looking ahead, Petrolul is scheduled to face Progresul Spartac in the second group stage of the Romania Cup on Tuesday, October 27, at 5:00 PM. Following that, they have a challenging Superliga match against CFR Cluj at home on Saturday, October 31, at 7:00 PM. Before the year concludes, Petrolul aims to maintain their fourth-place status, with matches against UTA Arad, Dinamo, FC Argeș, Universitatea Craiova, Oțelul Galați, and FC Voluntari still on the calendar.
