FC Universitatea Craiova

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Universitatea Craiova

Full name	FC Universitatea Craiova
Nickname(s)	Blue Lions The Champions of a Great Love
Founded	1948
Ground	Ion Oblemenco, Craiova (Capacity: 27,915)
Owner	Adrian Mititelu
Chairman	Sorin Joavină
Manager	Daniel Mogoşanu
League	Liga I
2007-08	Liga I, 9th
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours
Current season

FC Universitatea Craiova is one of the most famous football clubs from Romania, along with Steaua Bucuresti and Dinamo Bucuresti. They became the first Romanian football team to reach the semi-finals of a European tournament, during the UEFA Cup in 1982-83.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Craiova Maxima 1.2 Craiova after 1991 2 Honours 2.1 National titles 3 International performances 4 Current squad 5 Notable former players 5.1 Goalkeepers 5.2 Defenders 5.3 Midfielders 5.4 Forwards 6 Famous coaches 7 External links

[edit] History

The football history in the city of Craiova began in the year 1921, when the first teams were founded; "Craiovan Craiova" and "Rovine Grivita Craiova".

In the year 1940, the two teams from Craiova merged, resulting in one of the most successful Romanian football teams in the Interwar period; “FC Craiova” , which was also the first team from the city of Craiova winning the Romanian championship in the season 1942-1943. However the title was not officialised by the Romanian Football Federation because of World War II.

Finally in 1948 “Universitatea Craiova” took life at the initiative of a group of students and professors, a team which latter would become one of the most popular and successful teams from Romania.

[edit] Craiova Maxima

The 1982/1983 season has been, without doubt, the best in the history of "The Champion of a Great Love" a nickname used for Universitatea by the media, because of the tremendous love and immense passion that always surrounded the team. That magnificent side stayed fresh for long time in the memory of Romanian fans, regardless their sympathy for other clubs.

That season, under the management of Constantin Otet and Nicolae Ivan, Universitatea Craiova reached the semifinals of the UEFA Cup defeating big names of European football like AC Fiorentina (runners-up in Italian Serie A), Girondins Bordeaux (France), and FC Kaiserslautern (Germany). In the first European Cup semifinal ever played by a Romanian club, Universitatea played against Benfica Lisbon (Portugal), two times European Champions and three times European Champions finalists. After two draws the Portuguese side advanced to the final on aggregate away goals. Ilie Balaci and Rodion Camataru were among the great players of Craiova Maxima, but also Stefanescu, Crisan, Geolgau, Beldeanu, Donose, Lung etc.

[edit] Craiova after 1991

In 1991 Universitatea Craiova won for the last time the Championship and the Romanian Cup, under Sorin Cartu as coach. In the last years Craiova became a middle-table team, with rather poor performances. At the end of the season 2004-2005 they had been relegated in the second football division for the first time in history. However, Craiova promoted the next year in Liga I.

[edit] Honours

[edit] National titles

• Romanian First Division League 4
  • Winners: 1973–74, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1990–91
  • Runners-up (5): 1972–73, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1993–94, 1994–95
• Romanian Cup 6
  • Winners: 1976-77, 1977-78, 1980-81, 1982-83, 1990-91, 1992-93
  • Runners-up (5): 1974-75, 1984-85, 1993-94, 1997-98, 1999-00
• Romanian Second Division League 1
  • Winners: 2005-06

[edit] International performances

• UEFA Cup
  • Semi-Finalist (1): 1982–83

• Ciutat de Barcelona Trophy
  • Runners-up: 1978

• Norcia Winter Cup Italy
  • Winners: 2003

• participated in 4 editions of the European Champions' Cup
• participated in 14 editions of the UEFA Cup

[edit] Current squad

As of 25 March 2009

No. Position Player 2 DF Ştefan Bărboianu 3 DF Marius Barbu 4 DF Josh Mitchell 5 DF Sorin Buşu 6 DF Dorel Stoica (captain) 7 DF Valerică Găman 8 MF Florin Costin Şoavă 9 FW Mihai Costea 10 FW Florin Costea 13 MF Spase Dilevski 14 MF Stephen Appiah 17 FW Michael Baird

No. Position Player 18 DF Ovidiu Dănănae 19 FW Valentin Badea 20 MF Mihai Dina 21 GK Silviu Lung Jr. 22 GK Pieter Merlier 25 MF Dragoş Firţulescu 27 MF Joshua Rose 28 MF Constantin Gângioveanu 30 MF Andrei Prepeliţă 77 FW Julius Wobay 99 FW Dan Gogoşoiu

[edit] Notable former players

See also Cat:FC Universitatea Craiova players.

[edit] Goalkeepers

• Paul Manta, Gabriel Boldici, Silviu Lung, Stefan Crişan, Florin Prunea, Adnan Guso, Mircea Bornescu

[edit] Defenders

• Marin Marcel, Ion Constantinescu, Ştefan Sameş, Badin, Boc
• Petre Deselnicu, Ciupitu, Smarandache, Ioan Negrilă, Nicolae Tilihoi, Costică Ştefănescu
• Nicolae Ungureanu, Purima, Adrian Bumbescu, Vasile Mănăilă, Florin Cioroianu, Emil Săndoi
• Gheorghe Popescu, Nicu Zamfir, Adrian Popescu, Marian Rada, Cristian Vasc, Corneliu Papură, Cosmin Olăroiu
• Florin Bătrânu, Vochin, Flavius Stoican, Cosmin Bărcăuan, Cornel Frăsineanu, Cristian Chivu, Marius Mitu
• Mugur Bolohan, Dumitru Mitriţă, Ionuţ Rada, Ionuţ Stancu, Mariko Daouda
• Mădălin Ciucă, Dorel Stoica, Josh Mitchell

[edit] Midfielders

• Cricitoiu, Zbârcea, Nicolae Ivan, Strâmbeanu
• Aurel Ţicleanu, Costică Donose, Ilie Balaci, Aurel Beldeanu, Mircea Irimescu, Ovidiu Stinga, Pavel Badea
• Gheorghe Ciurea, Ceauşilă, Gabriel Popescu, D. Bica, Ion Olaru, Eugen Trică, Silvian Cristescu, Ion Ionuţ Luţu, Romulus Buia, Doru Nicolae, Liţă Dumitru, H. Cioloboc
• Dănuţ Moisescu, Dumitraşcu, Radu Niculescu, Adrian Pigulea, Augustin Călin, Marius Sava
• Viorel Domocoş, Florin Şoavă, Adrian Pitu, Ştefan Grigorie, Dan Alexa, Zeno Bundea, Mihăiţă Pleşan, Constantin Schumacher

[edit] Forwards

• Sfârlogea, Martinovici, Robert Niţă, Iulian Bălan, Nedelcu II
• Ţărălungă, Ion Oblemenco, Marcu, Victor Piţurcă
• Ion Geolgău, Zoltan Crişan , Rodion Cămătaru, Sorin Cârţu, Bâcu, O. Popescu
• Neagoe, Ştefan Stoica, Roland Agalliu, George Biţă
• Gheorghe Craioveanu, Ionel Gane, Adrian Ungur, Ionel Ganea, Florin Cârstea
• Claudiu Niculescu, Victoraş Iacob, Ionuţ Savu, Ion Vlădoiu, Jeremie N'Jock
• Florin Costea, Julius Wobay

[edit] Famous coaches

• Nicolò Napoli
• Ilie Balaci
• Mircea Rednic
• José Ramón Alexanko
• Emerich Jenei
• Emil Sandoi
• Marian Bondrea
• Victor Piţurcă
• Constantin Oţet
• Sorin Cârţu
• Mircea Rădulescu
• Valentin Stănescu
• Constantin Cernăianu
• Ion Oblemenco
• Constantin Teaşcă
• Dumitru Teodorescu

[edit] External links

• Official Website (Romanian)
• Official fan club page (Romanian)
• Gruppo Maxima Website (Romanian)
• Sezione page (fans' site) (Romanian)
• Stiinta Craiova (Romanian)
• U.Craiova - Liga 1 (Romanian)
• Soccerway profile

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