Romania - Steaua vs Rapid

Steaua Bucuresti

Steaua won against Gloria Bistrita and still hopes to catch the 2nd place in the league table by the end of the championship. Gabriel Caramarin, Steaua's coach assistant said about the game with Rapid: "A very important game for our hopes to catch a place in Europa League and that will let us concentrate more on the Romanian Cup. Burdujan, Ricardo and Bicfalvi are unavailable while Galamaz and Surdu are uncertain. Rapid gets through a rough period, it will be a different match tomorrow after all these changes."

There are so many defensive players out for Steaua that coach Sorin Cartu has no other choice than fielding a offensive team. 2 regular stoppers cannot be used against Rapid while the two defensive midfielders, the only ones in the team are out too: Bicfalvi and Ricardo. In this conditions the midfield will look exactly like in the game with Gloria. The only defensive midfielder will be Brandan, the argentinean being left defender as origin.

Probable team: Tatarusanu - Martinovic, Gardos, Geraldo Alves, Latovlevici - Nicolita, Radut, Cr.Tanase, Brandan - Onofras, N.Dica; Coach: Sorin Cartu; Injured: C.Lungu, Bicfalvi, Galamaz, Ricardo; Uncertain: V.Iliev; Suspended: -; Will miss the game: Eder Bonfim (excluded from team); Substitutes: Stanca, Emeghara, Iliev, Surdu, C.Matei, Maicon

Steaua refuzes to give tickets to the fans of Rapid for today's game so Rapid will not have fans at the stadium but things could change throughout the day.

LAST GAME(Steaua Bucuresti - Gloria Bistrita 3-1)
Scored: 1-0 Marius Onofras (24), 1-1 Ionut Balba (26), 2-1 Nicolae Dica (43), 3-1 Nicolae Dica (51)
Steaua: 12. Tatarusanu - 3. Emeghara, 18. Martinovici, 6. Gardos, 14. Latovlevici - 16. Nicolita (91. C. Matei '68), 5. Brandan, 8. Radut. 20. Dica, 10. Tanase (7. Szekely '57) - 11. Onofras (17. Bilasco '80). Coach: Sorin Cartu.
Gloria Bistrita: 22. Albut - 14. Achim (15. Nalati '46), 27. Szukala, 6. Corallo, 5. Velcovici - 29. Anton, 3. Tudose - 21. Keita, 30. Bajenaru, 23. Mandea (16. Marginean '81) - 11. Balb? (2. C. Petre '40). Coach: Nicolae Manea

Although they played with important players out, Steaua didn't have what to fear in the game with Gloria. Medias are at 2 points and Rapid at just one point so this game will decide more or less the team that will finish on 4th place.

Rapid Bucuresti

Rapid won in the game from Targu-Jiu but are already thinking at this game where they would want 3 points. "We go to Ghencea to obtain something, we must get the 5th place, not to wait the luck of 6th" said Dinu Gheorghe. (Note: if steaua or dinamo wins the cup the 6th place will also play in Europa League)

Suprsize in the team of Rapid in front of the game with Steaua. The technical staff made the decision to not include two of the main players. GK Mircea Bornescu and midfielder Carlos Cesinha will not be even on the bench for the game with Steaua.

Probable team: D.Coman - Rui Duarte, Marcos Antonio, Glauber, Bozovic - Roman, C.Lazar, N.Grigore, Frunza - Pancu, Herea; Coach: Marian Rada; Injured: Sburlea, Cassio; Suspended: -; Will miss the game: Spadacio, Bornescu, Cesinha; Substitutes: Straton, Vidanov, Grigorie, Candido, Ezequias, Olberdam

LAST GAME(Pandurii Targu-Jiu - Rapid Bucuresti 0-1)
Scored: 0-1 Daniel Pancu (85)
Pandurii: 80. Mingote - 2. Matei (25. Pleasca '72), 3. Viera, 23. Rada (14. Voiculet '46), 29. Grecu - 7. Bacila, 5. Pintilii, 16. Nistor (8. Popete '79), 20. Vranjes - 27. Lemnaru, 18. Stromajer. Coach: Petre Grigoras.
Rapid: 1. Coman - 2. Rui Duarte, 4. Marcos Antonio, 27. Glauber, 3. Ezequias - 14. Roman (20. Grigorie '78), 15. Lazar, 8. Grigore, 11. Frunza - 10. Herea (7. Cesinha '63), 77. Pancu (81. Candido '90+1). Coach: Marian Rada.
Yellow cards: Viera '34 - Marcos Antonio '47, Rui Duarte '48, Frunza '77
Red cards: Bacila '38

Rapid won the game with Pandurii, 1-0, but they didn't play as expected. They benefited from some strange referee decisions. At the first game without Sumudica as coach the team looks even worse and I think that Marian Rada doesn't have the capacity to get it back on track. He is happy with the 3 points but if they play like they did against Pandurii they will not have a chance in Ghencea. If they lose they risk to get down to 6th place so a win is necessary here.

Ok, so as a conclusion, what we have here:

- Steaua with lots of problems in defence;

- Rapid not in the best form after Sumudica was fired;

- big derby

Will result in my opinion lots of goals :) Good luck!