The former FCSB coach revealed how a champion footballer lost the national team: “I didn't think so, but the rule…”

Article by Tudor Belivacă – Published Friday, March 20, 2026, 6:45 p.m. / Updated Friday, March 20, 2026, 6:46 p.m.
Mihai Pintilii, the former secondary coach from FCSB, and Basarab Panduru, the former Romanian international, commented on the calls made by Mircea Lucescu for the World Championship play-off semi-final with Turkey.
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Turkey – Romania will be played on Thursday, March 26, from 19:00, match broadcast by Prima TV. If we win, we play the qualification final against Slovakia/Kosovo on March 31, 2026.
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Gazeta Sporturilur will have 6 experienced reporters in Istanbul, who will send the most important information, reports and a series of multimedia correspondence.
Ștefan Târnovanu, the FCSB goalkeeper, is missing from Mircea Lucescu's list. The two agreed that the absence of Ștefan Târnovanu from the national team is due to the U21 rule that “made him lose his job”. FCSB opted since the winter to use Matei Popa in goal to check the U21 rule, instead of using a junior in the field, considering that the red-blue team is thin in this age group.
Mihai Pintilii explained why Ștefan Târnovanu lost the national team: “The rule made him lose his position and the team
“I did not think that Târnovanu would not be summoned, but the rule made him lose his post and the lot for this dam. In my opinion, he chose the best.
He is stressed, I also talked to him about this topic. He has nothing to do. The situation does not suit him. That's why Gigi went to her to ask to leave in the summer, because she needs games. He's a strong guy, I hope he doesn't fall. He is a valuable player,” Mihai Pintilii said, according to orangesport.ro.
It feels exactly how Crețu felt when he played Cercel. It's not about age here, it's about the incumbent and the one who takes his place. We are talking about the fact that a player who is less valuable than another enters and takes the place of another player. Târnovanu is a good goalkeeper, very good. Now, how strong it is, how much it isn't, I don't know. Any standing player has a so-and-so player.
Today, if you stayed, it's a big deal. If you don't play for three months, six months, you have big, big problems re-adapting and re-entering the circuit again
-Basarab Panduru, according to the cited source
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Ștefan Târnovanu has not played since January 29, when he was a full-time player in the 1-1 draw with Fenerbahce in the Europa League group stage. Until that moment he was the undisputed starter, but Matei Popa took his place.
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This season, Ștefa Târnovanu played 36 matches in all competitions, scored 36 goals, and kept a clean sheet in 10 matches. The goalkeeper from FCSB has 4 matches for the national team, but has been a constant presence in the squad during the actions of the national team. It is quoted at 4.5 million euros.
Ștefan Târnovanu, Popa's reserve and in Rădoi's mandate. Photo: Ionuț Iordache (GSP)
Romania's lot for the dam with Turkey
porter: Ionut RADU (Celta de Vigo | Spain, 7/0), Marian AIOANI (FC Rapid 1923, 0/0), Mihai POPA (CFR Cluj, 0/0);
DEFENDERS: Andrei RAțIU (Rayo Vallecano | Spain, 36/2), Deian SORESCU (Gaziantep FK | Turkey, 23/0), Radu DRĂGUȘIN (Tottenham | England, 27/1), Andrei BURCĂ (Yunnan Yukun | China, 44/1), Virgil GHIțĂ (Hannover 96 | Germany, 8/1), Adrian RUS (Universitatea Craiova, 22/1), Andrei COUBIȘ (Universitatea Cluj, 0/0), Nicușor BANCU (Universitatea Craiova, 50/2), Kevin CIUBOTARU (Hermannstadt, 1/0);
INTERMEDIARIES: Vladimir SCRECIU (Universitatea Craiova, 6/0), Vlad DRAGOMIR (Pafos | Cyprus, 5/0), Răzvan MARIN (AEK Athens | Greece, 72/12), Nicolae STANCIU (Dalian Yingbo | China, 84/15), Florin TĂNASE (FCSB, 26/5), Ianis HAGI (Alanyaspor | Turkey, 51/8), Dennis MAN (PSV | Netherlands, 43/11), Alexandru DOBRE (FC Rapid 1923, 5/0), Valentin MIHĂILĂ (Caykur Rizespor | Turkey, 33/5), Claudiu PETRILA (FC Rapid 1923, 2/0), Ștefan BAIARAM (Universitatea Craiova, 2/1);
ATTACKERS: Daniel BÎRLIGEA (FCSB, 7/2), David MICULESCU (FCSB, 6/0), Marius COMAN (UTA Arad, 0/0).




