Sports Weekend

This round may decide the winner of the 2024-2025 season of the Romanian Football Superleague

Florin Orban, 09.05.2025, 13:45

With three more rounds left to play before the end of the Romanian Football Super League group phase, things are pretty clear regarding the champions. The team in first position, FCSB, has seven points ahead of runner-up CFR Cluj. One point behind CFR are Universitatea Craiova, and Universitatea Cluj two points behind respectively. Craiova and the two teams from Cluj are practically fighting for second place, which secures direct qualification to the preliminaries of European Conference League. The team in third position can also play in the European competition, but must go through a play-off match first. Its opponent will be a team from group 2, also designated after a tie-breaker match between the teams that will finish in the first two positions. With two stages before the end of group 2 matches, FC Hermannstadt leads the standings, with 33 points. Next are Oţelul Galați, with 31, and Farul Constanța, with 30. Over the weekend, the team from Constanța will play on Saturday, at home, against UTA Arad, whereas FC Hermannstadt will take on Poli Iași at home. On Monday, Oţelul will play Petrolul away from home. In group 2, the eighth round starts on Friday, with two games: Gloria Buzău versus Unirea Slobozia and Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe versus FC Botoșani. Gloria is already relegated to the second league, whereas Slobozia, Sepsi and the team from Botoșani are fighting to avoid relegation.

Let’s further note the schedule of the eighth round of group 1. The biggest stake in the fight for second place in the final standings is the match on Saturday, pitting Universitatea Craiova against CFR Cluj. On Sunday, FCSB can mathematically become champions, with two stages before the end of the season, if they win against Universitatea Cluj. The highlight match of the round will be played on Monday, pitting Bucharest rivals Dinamo and Rapid. The confrontation has no real stake, as neither team has any chances of reaching the podium.

Another trophy that can ensure qualification to European competitions is the Romanian Cup. The final will take place in Arad, on May 14, when CFR Cluj will play FC Hermannstadt. If CFR win, they qualify to the Europa League preliminaries. If Hermannstadt prevails, they cannot play in European competitions as they do not have a license. The place in the Europa League preliminaries will be transferred to the team in 2^nd place in group 1. The team in 3^rd place will play in the Conference League preliminaries, and the team in 4^th place will play a play-off match against a team from group 2 to for the last place in Conference League. (VP)