Charalambous and the Pintils have been given the ultimatum » Meet the breakdown goal or be kicked out
Article by Maria Olteanu – Published on Monday, 02 March 2026, 04:52 / Updated on Monday, 02 March 2026 05:03
After FCSB missed the play-off qualification and implicitly the chance to defend the trophy won last season, the only goal in this edition of the championship is to win the play-out and qualify for the Conference League preliminaries. The two coaches on the red-blue bench are obliged to take the team to Europe, from the 7th place. Otherwise, they will be fired in the summer.
FCSB had a fluctuating and complicated season, and in the end they had to hang on to the results to hope that they could finally reach the play-offs. But things worked exactly the other way around for the champion, who had no way to avoid the disaster of going to the play-out for the first time.
Also eliminated from the Romanian Cup, FCSB can save the season only if they win the play-out and then the playoff for the last European place in the Conference League. This is exactly the goal set by the boss Gigi Becali (67 years old) for the two coaches. If they fail to do that, their contracts will be up in the summer.
Gigi Becali forces FCSB to qualify for the Conference League after missing out on the play-offs
“The play-out is won. I don't have any problems with that. There is no question of Charalambous and Pintilii leaving now, but if the team does not participate in any European competition we will change the coach.
It's the last day I'm speaking, so I want it to be understood exactly what I said: there is no question of replacing them, but if we don't qualify in the Conference, then we change the coaches. That means something should be changed!”said the owner of FCSB on Sunday evening, after the match in Arad, with UTA, at Prima Sport.
Should I let the coaches decide? It would be the best to let the dust settle even more. Not chosen enough? Want to choose more? I will only watch my team in the play-out to make the changes.
I'm interested in the Conference money. I am looking in the Conference to strengthen the coefficient, that is, money. The coefficient means money.
– Gigi Becali, FCSB patron
How FCSB can reach the Conference League
Finishing in one of the top two positions in the play-outs would send FCSB into the play-off for the last Superliga spot in the Conference League.
The first two places in the play-out will face each other in the first leg of this play-off, so that the winner will face the 3rd or 4th place in the play-off. The winner will be the last representative of Romania in the 2nd preliminary round of the Conference League.
It's not easy to win matches and not be happy. I want to apologize to the fans. The team is not where it should be.
I made many mistakes and ended up in this position. Now we have nothing left to do but fight. The objective is to play in the Conference League.
– Elias Charalambous, FCSB coach
