Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published Saturday, April 25, 2026 23:44 / Updated Saturday, April 25, 2026 23:47
Perfect day for CFR Cluj: the club from Gruia presented its new sports director, and the team won the derby with U Cluj, score 1-0. Ricardo Cadu (44 years old), the former captain of the “railwaymen”, and the new leader of the club, spoke after the match about his plans at the club, but also about the team's performance and the fight for the title.
The only goal of the game was scored by Andrei Cordea, from the penalty spot, in the 70th minute, following a foul committed by Ovidiu Bic.
Ricardo Cadu, after CFR Cluj – U Cluj 1-0: “Pancu is the best!”
The Portuguese, the club's new sporting director, gave his first reaction after the derby victory and stressed that his main focus is to strengthen the squad.
“Now I will go to Portugal. They are expensive players, but we will try to bring from Portugal and other countries and make a good team. I hope my return will be good news and help. This is the first thought of the CFR, to be able to bring the CFR to where it belongs.”
The new sports director also spoke about the evolution of the team in the derby, but also about coach Daniel Pancu.
“How should I replace Pancu? He is the best coach in Romania, he did the miracle at CFR.
I liked the attitude of the team, in the derby the most important thing is the attitude, and the boys had it. It was a balanced match, but CFR deserved to win.”
Ricardo Cadu: “We have a chance for the title”
“I want CFR to take the title, that's what I want. After that, if CFR doesn't take it, let anyone take it, let whoever is better take it. A lot depends on what we will do in the match with Craiova over two stages, now we are two points behind and we even have a chance for the title.
My role will be to stay more with the team, to bring players to CFR, but there will be more, me and Bogdan Mara, and we will try to bring quality to CFR. I am not interested in money, I came as a sports director, not as a president or patron. I came to bring players so that we have a better team next year”, said Cadu, in a telephone intervention at Digi Sport Special.
The ranking from the Superliga play-off
