Article by George Nistor – published Monday, June 30, 2025, 17:41 / Updated Monday, June 30, 20:48
Rapid ended the Cantonment at Moravske Toplice, Slovenia, in which he played four friendly parties, and Costel Gâlcă has already drawn the first conclusions about the players lot.
The new technician of Giulesti is still waiting for transfers, being dissatisfied with his options for attack and defense. Including the post of goalkeeper puts the coach, say the sources of the Sports Gazette.
Buducnost (2-2), Vardar Skopje (0-1), NK Aluminij (3-0) and Sabah FK (2-2) were the opponents of the “cherries” in the training period they lost, for the rest of 2025, on Borisav Burmaz. The diagnosis is a cruel one: lesion of the anterior cross ligament.
The defensive of the Rapid gives Costel Gâlcă's headaches
The first alarm signals for the 53 -year -old mainly appeared in the training match with Buducnost, in which Rapid experienced a couple of central defenders consisting of Denis Ciobotariu and Filip Blazek – the one for which a variant of “Exit” is sought.
Defense problems are not a novelty. And in the previous season, under the command of Marius Șumudică, the defensive was often exceeded, but also because of a difficult game system, since the installation of Neil Lennon.
Costel Gâlcă is disturbing by the inability of players to coordinate on the negative transitionaspect transmitted to the management, which is why options are analyzed for the transfer of a central defender with certain skills, in completing “Ciobi” and Alex Pașcanu, but also of a left defender.
Problematic is the post of goalkeeper. Marian Aioani's uncertainties are also on the list of minus, so Franz Stolz could receive several minutes. Adrian Briciu, the third variant for goals, was flagrantly wrong in the last friendly, while Bogdan Ungureanu was not used and he is looking for a team in Liga 2.
Marian Aioani will have an important competitor in Franz Stolz for the Giulesti Gate. Photo: FC Rapid
How did the start formations show:
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vs. Buducnost: Aioani – Onea, D. Ciobotariu, Blazek, Micovschi – Gabriel Gheorghe, Hromada, Christensen – Dobre, Burmaz, R. Pop;
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vs. Vardar: Stolz – Manea, Pașcanu, Bădescu, Braun – Gojkovic, Keita – El Sawy, R. Pop, G. Gheorghe – Petrila;
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vs. Aluminij: Stolz – Braun, Blazek, Kramer, Borza – G. Gheorghe, Grameni – R. Pop, Hazrollaj, Micovschi – Jambor;
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vs. Sabah FK: Aioani – Onea, D. Ciobotariu, Pașcanu, Bădescu – Grameni, K. Keita, S. Banu – Hazrollaj, Koljic, Dobre;
Difficulties in changing the system. Keita, landmark in the middle
The change of coach has also attracted an important tactical change. Quickly will evolve in module 4-3-3a much more dynamic one, oriented towards the offensive, but also to the counterattack, the “weapon” that defines it as a coach on Gâlcă.
Interestingly, the man in which Dan Șucu puts all his title hopes also prepares a plan B, in this regard. The Giulestii have moments, especially when they defend themselves, when they are configured in 4-2-3-1, in which one of the midfielders in front of the defense is recovery, and the second, in theory, starts the construction.
We also had injuries, it's not a positive thing, but we managed to give minutes to all the players. On the physical side we are pretty good. Then we achieved the goal of playing the four matches, we could not distribute the minutes as I wished.
– Costel Gâlcă, fast coach
With Vardar, the coach started with this settlement from the beginning. Kader Keita It could be essential in the new vision, due to the stability it provides at the center of the land. Tobias Christensen, Cătălin Vultura, Jakub Hromada, Dina Grameni and Mattias Kait are the other basic variants available, with the amendment that the last two prefer to evolve relatively more advanced.
Gâlcă asked his players, permanently, pressing and the development of the game in a smart way, a requirement that represents a great challenge for all the components of the lot.
A victory, two draws and a defeat is the balance of Rapid in Slovenia
Hazrollaj and Dobre steps on his feet. Petrila, affected
Although he had very good performances last season, Alex Dobre will have a serious competition with Drilon Hazrollaj, the extreme transferred from FC Malisheva in exchange for 900,000 euros.
The Kosovar was also tried behind the peak, where it had a good yield, and in the match with Sabah was located on the right flank, in its basic position. Moving it on the other tape on Dobre and canceled Petrila the possibility to activate simultaneously on the left. It remains to be seen how the situation of the extremes will be managed at Rapid.
Claudiu Petrila, Tobias Christensen and Omar El Sawy have accused medical problems in the cantonment of the Rapid. Borisav Burmaz is out all year. Photo: FC Rapid
Two attackers are expected in Giulești, in the context in which Elvir Koljic needs a reserve with a clearly demonstrated capacity, and Burma comes out of the band's plans.
How could they look quickly in the new season:
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(4-3-3) Aioani – Manea, D. Ciobotariu, Pașcanu, Borza – Gramen, Keita, Christensen – Hazrollaj, Koljic (Petrila), Dobre;
On the technical-tactical side we have to grow, I wish that in the next week we can work more. The load was great and the players felt. In the first week I had two workouts a day, but I couldn't do them. It's a group of players who gave 100%., They surprised me. Attitude was beyond expectations.
– Costel Gâlcă, fast coach
