Article by Alexandru Stanciu – Published on Sunday, 24 May 2026 23:31 / Updated on Sunday, 24 May 2026 23:44
Becali praised Octavian Popescu, the author of the decisive goal scored in extra time, and declared that he is confident that his team will beat rival Dinamo in the play-off final.
The only client of the FCSB boss was Risto Radunovic, accused of “indolence” for the penalty kick committed in the second half.
Gigi Becali praised Octavian Popescu after FCSB beat Botoșani in the play-off: “It's his qualification”
“I had emotions, the emotion of bad luck. When there's only one match, you think about not having bad luck. I never took it into account, I always said that we were playing the final with Dinamo. We didn't take into account Botoșani. That's normal, we have value if we won two championships, you have to beat Botoșani, as proof I beat them.
I can't say about a player that he didn't work, maybe only because of Radunovic's indolence.
(no. Tavi Popescu) had an increase in this championship, towards the end. And now I don't know what to say. He, George, what to say to him? He qualified us. That's his qualification. He has the talent.
I didn't make the changes. Stoian didn't even care. The team was known, you had no other starting formula. Always when I played with Stoian from the beginning, we changed him at half-time, he can't go any longer”, said Gigi Becali, on the show “Digi Sport Special”.
Gigi Becali gives a “free hand” to Marius Baciu and at the barrage with Dinamo: “Why should I get involved?”
Regarding the starting line-up that FCSB will use in the match with Dinamo, Becali scored: “I don't interfere! I let the man do the work, if I see it's going, why should I interfere?
Am I God to know the psychology and condition of the players and what training they do and how they do it? I'm glad that I had a reaction like the world after the break. What he told them is the merit of the coaches, of Marius Baciu. I don't know who spoke what, they came out at halftime extremely motivated.
If you have solutions, you fight. If you don't have solutions… we don't have a bank. If the goalkeeper was there, I said: I want to play with the U21 goalkeeper, but if we don't have one, you have nothing to do, you play with Stoian or Toma. The team knows that you don't have many solutions. Why bother if I don't have solutions?
Yes, I am optimistic that we will qualify. If we take it from a value point of view, I say we are more valuable, that's my opinion.
Do you realize what joy the Lord would give us? I wasn't even thinking. After leaving me in the play-out. Maybe, who knows, the Lord will slap me for my pride.
But do you realize to leave Rapidul and also leave Dinamo out (no from the European cups)? What a great joy.
Am I interested in Craiova or CFR? Or U Cluj? I'm interested in what the gallery says, we're only interested in Dinamo and Rapid, and do you realize what a nice year to come from the play-out and leave Dinamo with Rapid out? I didn't realize, I was thinking“.
