Article by Tudor Belivacă – Published on Thursday, 20 November 2025 22:55 / Updated on Thursday, 20 November 2025 22:55
Adrian Mutu (46 years old), former Romanian U21 coach and all-time top scorer of the “tricolors”, reacted after the draw of lots that established the fact that the national team will play the semi-final of the World Championship qualifier against Turkey.
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Romania will play in the semi-final of the pool for WC 2026 against Turkey, away. If they win, they will face the winner of the match Slovakia – Kosovo, also away
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The matches are played in one leg on March 26 and 31
Adrian Mutu reacted after the draw for the 2026 World Championship play-off semi-final
“I was thinking that I don't want them. They have an advantage with the atmosphere. From other points of view, the Romanian national team is not in the best shape. There is time until March and I hope we have the players in top form.
They have valuable players, but not quite superstars as some think. Apart from Calhanoglu, their leader, the others are young players, I mean Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz. They are young players and they have stepped up this season. Guler has continuity in Real's first 11 this season. They have good players, but they are not really superstars to be afraid of.
We have the track record: over the years we have 14 wins and 5 losses. I have met them a few times in my time and emerged victorious.
To cancel this difference we must be prepared. Mentality is very important, but I find it hard to believe that our players will not show up for the match mentally prepared. It would be the ultimate, but I don't think it will happen.
We have to be prepared physically, but also tactically. Physically we have to run more like them to cancel the difference in quality, to maintain our positions, not to leave spaces between compartments. Tactically, it depends on Mircea Lucescu.
The strategy I see is the one we like very much: solid defensive play and counter-attacking as our lethal weapon. This has defined the national team over time. We relied on good defense and going on the counter-attack.
If we beat Turkey, I say we qualify. Slovakia and Kosovo are approachable, I'm not afraid of them. I'm not afraid of Turkey either, but lately it makes you wary.
The public pressure will be double-edged for them as well. He will push them from the back, but if they are not in good shape, they will make mistakes that I hope Romania will benefit from. I hope the atmosphere, more attention, concentration will keep us alert throughout the match. Everyone is optimistic, but the most important thing is that the boys take it as a very, very important game. It's time to compete with them. They have shown their worth at the U21s and they can do it again.
I think that Turkey leaves with a 70% chance of advancing, we with 30%”, said Adrian Mutu in an intervention on Digi Sport Special.
What worries me is that Romania has not been able to play two good games in a row lately. That raises a big question mark for me, if we can do that. The two matches would be played over a period of five days. If we get past Turkey, our morale will be in the stars, and Romania played well when they had good morale. If you're batting in Turkey, you don't need another injection of courage to approach the match even better. I haven't seen him do two good matches back to back. It's hard, but it's not impossible
– Adrian Mutu
