Article by Maria Olteanu – published on Sunday, August 24, 2025, 00:19 / Updated on Sunday, August 24, 2025 00:19
Alexandru Pop, the reserve of Zeljko Kopic, was decisive at the confrontation in Cluj Arena, scoring a three-point goal in the 89th minute. Dinamo left the banks of Someșului and climbed the play-off, and Neluțu Sabău came extremely disappointed at the interview, not understanding what the team he did.
He spoke with concern about the future, but also about the fact that he wants at least one transfer to strengthen the lot, an striker, after the departure of Mamadou Thiam to FCSB.
Ioan Ovidiu Sabău, after the failure with Dinamo: “The reality is that we have to wake up”
“First of all, we did not look good. Not because we do not want to win, but we did not have the courage to play. We did not have possession, the pressure was too high, it was the first match at home after five weeks. I try to find some explanations.
Dinamo was the better team, with more valuable players, with more personality and a higher technique. It was a match that was going to 0-0, it would have been a won point. We have looked pretty good at the Lighthouse, even in inferiority, but we, since we started, have no courage, we have no identity. There are players who, from my point of view, have no pace. The changes did not bring the rhythm, I did not look good. The fans did not have too many beautiful things to see, I disappointed them.
We have no strength, we have no permanent initiative. That's how we were characterized, now we are dominated, even at home, and it doesn't do well. The reality is that we have to wake up, react, evaluate each player very well, only so we can find solutions. We do not train long pass, we train the combination game. But we don't have the courage to go out. We do not return the game, the opponent was well organized. We try to take everything at high speed, but it is not always possible.
We actually no longer carry the balls. I had 600–700 passes per match, possession 65-70%, I had a better possession game. Now we have nothing. Even if we train, the field is not seen. It's not easy to be a competitive team. You also need investments. Everyone is trying to see the reality, decide if we have to invest. We are all concerned and aware, including leadership, that we no longer look like last year.
We are looking for an attacker, Thiam left. I want to recover the central defenders – they were injured and they have no rhythm. There are problems. We don't look good. We have to be fighters, not to abandon. We are afraid of the next match, as we look now, but also the matches with weaker opponents. Today we were totally disappointed with our game, “said Neluțu Sabău, after the match, at Flash-Interviu, at the” Football Club “show, from Digi Sport.
We need to be more attentive in the future. They had a semi-cashes and charged us. They had more possession than us. We did what we didn't have to do: long balls, and at training we don't play that way. We played at home and we didn't make our fans happy. I hope we win three points next stage. Patiently, I think we will be pretty good.
Mister had a more men's meeting with us, we analyzed and we will continue to analyze the mistakes, to be better in the future. There are several teams that are fighting for the play-off, so we have to tighten as many points, one or three, because they are all important.
– Dan Nistor, player of the University of Cluj
After this match, Dinamo comes on the play-off, with 12 points, while U Cluj is in the eighth position, with 9 points.
Images from U Cluj – Dinamo 0-1
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