FC Timisoara awarded three points by LPF

FC Timisoara is the new leader of the Romanian first league after a decision made today (Weds) by the Discipline Commission of the Professional Football League (LPF).

LPF decided to accept Timisoara's contention that Rapid Bucharest had unfairly used two players in a match it won by a score of 1-0 against Timisoara, according to Gazeta Sporturilor.

Rapid Bucharest used Dacian Varga and Tibi Balan when they were not club players.

LPF decided today that the match had been won by FC Timisoara by a score of 3-0 as Rapid had broken the rules and deserved to forfeit it.

Timisoara leads the first league with 38 points on goal difference, followed by previous leader CFR Cluj, with 38 points, and Unirea Urziceni, with 36 points.

Coach says Romania will qualify for Euro 2012

Romania is going to qualify for Euro 2012, national football team coach Razvan Lucescu said today (Tues).

Lucescu said it wasn't a tragedy that Romania had lost the friendly match with Israel, as nine players had not been available and he had been forced to call up new players.

Romania lost to Israel by a score of 2-0 (1-0) yesterday (Mon) evening in a friendly at Dan Paltinisanu stadium in Timisoara.

Romania, France, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belarus, Albania and Luxembourg will play in Group D in qualifying competition for Euro 2012.

Lucescu was appointed coach of the national team in April last year. Romania failed to qualify for World Cup 2010.
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I agree with him, even though I believe he is a horrible manager. Please comment below to tell us what you think about this.

Kapetanos strikes late to give Steaua draw

An injury-time goal from Greek striker Pantelis Kapetanos gave Steaua Bucharest a dramatic 2-2 draw with Unirea Urziceni on Saturday in Urziceni.


Sorin Frunza gave the home side the lead in the third minute, but Ovidiu Petre put Steaua back on level terms five minutes later. 

With 18 minutes to go, Marius Onofras made it 2-1 to Unirea, but in the 92nd minute, Kapetanos struck to give Bucharest a share of the spoils.

Lawyer says Mutu could receive a less-severe sanction

"A famous Italian lawyer has said Romanian international Adrian Mutu can get a less-severe sanction if he proves his sporting efficiency wasn’t boosted by the use of sibutramine.


According to tuttomercatoweb.com, lawyer Pier Filippo Capello, a well-known lawyer on sports matters in Italy and the son of England's coach Fabio Capello, said the Fiorentina player could receive a less-severe sanction.

Capello also said that any sports player who had used dope before risked a serious penalty for another violation.

Mutu may also be considered a recidivist, as he tested positive for cocaine in 2004 while playing for Chelsea.

Mutu recently appeared before Italian Olympic Committee anti-doping prosecutors in Rome in the sibutramine doping case.

The Italian National Anti-doping Court indefinitely suspended Mutu in February after he had failed anti-doping tests.

Mutu tested positive for sibutramine in tests carried out on 10 January after a match with Bari and on 20 January after a match with Lazio.

Mutu scored two goals in the match against Lazio Roma that Fiorentina won by a score of 3-2. His team thereby qualified for the Italy Cup semi-finals.

Sibutramine is an anorectic or appetite suppressant that reduces a person’s desire to eat."

Chivu to play for Inter Milan again in April

Inter Milan football player Cristi Chivu is going to return to the pitch in April, according to FCInternews.it.

Chivu, who is also the captain of the Romanian national football team, is probably going to play in the match with Inter-Bologna on 3 April.

His manager, Giovanni Becali, has been quoted as saying: "I think he is going to be ready to go back on the pitch in a month. He has been recovering very well."

Chivu suffered a skull fracture during a match his team won against Chievo on 6 January in Italian Series A play.

Chivu, 29, injured his head in a duel with Sergio Pellissier and had to undergo head surgery.
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Glad to see him back on his feet again. One of Romania's most disciplined and top players, just love the guy. Get in there, Cristi! I just hope he hasn't been affected too negatively by that horrible injury, hopefully he'll play with the same quality again.

Mark Wotte: tough start with Craiova

"Universitatea Craiova had a terrible start of season, losing two games out of two, and this beloved club is in deep trouble in the standings, lying in 15th place, one that offers a trip to the second division at the end of the season.

A recent interview offered by Mark Wotte to the Dutch press revealed a coach rather intrigued by the things saw so far in Liga I and motivated by the club's perspective, rather than scared by Craiova's fears of relegation. He dribbled with elegance an episode that would have angered anyone else: Craiova had the most clear penalties in the world against the rivals from Dinamo and ended up losing that game by one goal, yet Wotte thought that is enough to consider this a mistake, "while in Romania the press talked about this episode for three days". He also had no reaction regarding the huge scandal that surrounds his team, after club owner decided to move it from its town, as part of a fight with the mayor, and avoided to speak about the poor performances of the team's best players, starting with topscorer Florin Costea.

This guy is definitely from another planet: some call it Holland, others the Netherlands..."

More information

Steaua down five places to 45th in IFFHS rankings

Steaua Bucharest is down five places to 45th, with 167.5 points, in February rankings of football clubs by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) issued today (Weds).

Steaua remains the highest-ranked Romanian team. CFR Cluj, in first place in the top Romanian league, is 69th, with 143.5 points, while FC Timisoara is up five positions to 80th, with 133 points.

Dinamo Bucharest is up to 85th from 94th, with 127.5 points.

Romania has another three teams in the top 250 - Vaslui in 91st, with 123 points, Unirea Urziceni in 105th, with 118.5 points, and FC Brasov in 239th, with 80.5 points.

Comment below and let us know what you think about this!