After securing a win against Sepsi in the first round of the Romanian Cup’s Group B, Marius Șumudică, head coach of CFR Cluj, praised Ovidiu Burcă for the effective playing philosophy he has implemented at Sfântu Gheorghe, which follows his successful tenure at Dinamo and Oțelul.
Șumudică also addressed the ongoing issues regarding player registrations, admitting uncertainty about when the new signings will be eligible due to FIFA’s transfer ban on the club. “I don’t know the situation with the new players. I’m told every day that it will be resolved ‘tomorrow’. We are waiting for the ban to be lifted. It’s embarrassing for me to see the players here in Cluj and not be able to register them. I have no idea what will happen,” he expressed.
The coach highlighted the fatigue affecting the team ahead of their upcoming match against Farul, noting the recent departures of key players Abeid and Sinyan, and the potential loss of Korenica.
This victory marks the third consecutive win for Șumudică and CFR Cluj, following matches against Csikszereda (3-2) and FCSB (1-0). Goals were scored by Adi Păun, Andreas Sfait, and Meriton Korenica, while Davordzie found the net for the hosts.
Marius Șumudică: “We Are Exhausted. I Didn’t Want to Take Risks”
“It was a tough match. When you face young, fresh players with quality and a solid philosophy, it’s challenging. I want to commend Ovidiu Burcă for implementing this philosophy at Galați, Dinamo, and Sepsi,” said Șumudică.
“We are drained. I didn’t want to take significant risks. When you take risks, you could end up not winning. I was not concerned about how Sepsi would play; I adjusted at halftime, giving each player 45 minutes. Clearly, we are unprepared and lack depth. When you run out of fuel, it’s tough to keep going,” he added.
“I’m the last to know about players leaving. I prepare with what I have. If a player leaves every week, it’s just how it is. I understand we need to generate revenue, but I can’t be the sole solution. Since I arrived, we’ve lost many players from the squad we had in the summer, and I want to make progress,” Șumudică stated following the match in Sfântu Gheorghe, as reported by Prima Sport.
“Now we are very close to both the playoff and relegation zones. We need fresh players. We are traveling six hours now, and in two days, we play against Farul, who has had a week to prepare. What can I ask of my players?! We played just two days later. I looked at how many victories we’ve had in Turkey; I achieved my 100th victory with FCSB in Liga 1… What matters is that we won. I want to congratulate the team from Sepsi. They have an extraordinary stadium with very good conditions. I believe Sepsi is a beautiful team in this league.” – Marius Șumudică, CFR Cluj Coach
