Sports Weekend

The third round of the Romanian Super League is scheduled for this weekend

Florin Orban, 25.07.2025, 13:45

Three Romanian football teams played in European competitions on Thursday. In the Europa League, CFR Cluj drew 0-0 with Lugano in Switzerland. Coach Dan Petrescu’s side had a chance to get a better result, but missed a penalty kick awarded in the 11th minute through Croatian Karlo Muhar. The second leg will take place on July 31 in Cluj. If they beat the Swiss side, CFR will play the winner of the Europa League third qualifying round tie between Levski Sofia and Sporting Braga, who finished 0-0 in the first leg. If they don’t get past Lugano, Cluj will play the winner of the Conference League third preliminary round match between Celje of Slovenia and AEK Larnaca of Cyprus. The two sides drew 1-1 in the first leg.

The other team that represents Cluj in European competitions, Universitatea, finished the game in Yerevan with a draw and without a goal against the Armenian team Ararat. On their return to Europe after a 53-year break, the Cluj team got a promising result, but did not play great football. The return match is scheduled for next Thursday in Sibiu. If it defeats Ararat, Universitatea Cluj will face the winner of the match between Aktobe of Kazakhstan and Sparta Prague. The Asians won 2-1 in the first leg.

Also in the Conference League, Universitatea Craiova were beaten 2-0 in Bosnia and Herzegovina by FK Sarajevo. The second leg is scheduled for next Thursday in Craiova. The chances of qualification are slim, however, especially if Mirel Rădoi’s side play as they did in the first leg. If they do get past Sarajevo, Universitatea Craiova will face the winner of the match between Malta’s Hibernians Paola and Slovakia’s Spartak Trnava. The Slovaks won the first leg 2-1.

This weekend will see games counting for the third round of the Romanian Superleague football championship. On Friday, two matches: Metaloglobus Bucharest against Petrolul Ploiești and Rapid Bucharest against Csikszereda. On Saturday, UTA welcome FC Hermannstadt to Arad, while FCSB face Farul Constanta in the capital. On Sunday, CFR play FC Argeș in Cluj and Oțelul take on Dinamo Bucharest in Galati. On Monday, the last two games of the round: FC Botoșani against Unirea Slobozia and Universitatea Craiova against Universitatea Cluj. After two rounds, six teams lead the standings with four points each. (MI)