FC U Craiova 1948
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Full name | FC U Craiova 1948 | ||
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Nickname(s) | Studenții (The Students) Leii din Bănie (The Lions from Bănie) | ||
Founded |
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Ground | Municipal | ||
Capacity | 20,054 | ||
Owner | Adrian Mititelu | ||
Chairman | Marcel Pușcaș | ||
Manager | Adrian Filip (caretaker) | ||
League | Liga III | ||
2017–18 | Liga IV, Dolj County, 1st (promoted) | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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FC U Craiova 1948, is a Romanian football club based in Craiova, Dolj County, and currently a member of the Liga III.
In 1991, promptly after the CS Universitatea Craiova sports club dissolved its football department, Fotbal Club Universitatea Craiova took its place in the first division. It continued the original club's tradition for the next two decades, but was reorganised multiple times and retroactively deemed as an unofficial successor. FC U's only major honour is the 1992–93 Cupa României, although it also claims the 4 national titles and 5 national cups won between 1948 and 1991.[note 1]
FC U Craiova was disaffiliated by the Romanian Football Federation on 14 May 2012, following their temporary banishment since 20 July 2011, and consequently retired from every competition. The Romanian Court confirmed that the 2012 dissafiliation was legal and in September 2014 the team was officially declared bankrupt.[3] The club was reestablished in 2017 and commenced play in the fourth league.
History
In 1991, Universitatea Craiova won for the last time the Championship and the Romanian Cup, under Sorin Cârţu as coach. In the same year, the sports club CS Universitatea Craiova dissolved its football section[4] and Fotbal Club Universitatea Craiova informally continued their tradition. Until 1994, the club was still controlled by the Ministry of National Education.
In the following years, Craiova became a middle-table team, with rather poor performances.
At the end of the 2004–05 season they were relegated to the second football division for the first time in the club's history, returning to the first league after the following season.
Exclusion from FRF
On 20 July 2011, the club was temporarily excluded by the Romanian Football Federation[5] for failing to withdraw their dispute with former coach Victor Piţurcă from a civil court, as per article 57 of the FRF statute which states that the Football Federation solves all the sports lawsuits.[6] However, the article allows disputes regarding employment contracts to be adjudicated in civil court.[7] The exclusion decision was approved by the FRF General Assembly on 14 May 2012.[8] All of the squad players were declared free agents and signed with other clubs.
A criminal investigation was started by the National Anticorruption Directorate on 22 October 2011, against the heads of the Romanian Professional Football League and of the Football Federation, as well as against the Executive Committee members of the FRF, on charges of official misconduct in the case of the exclusion.[9][10] On 14 May 2012, the Executive Committee validated the temporary exclusion decision taken on 20 July 2011.[11]
In April 2014 the High Court of Cassation and Justice confirmed that the Romanian Football Federation "acted in accordance with regulations and statutes in force when members voted to exclude the club".[12] The criminal case against the president of the FRF was also dismissed in 2017.[13]
Reaffiliation and subsequent bankruptcy
On 22 June 2012, the Bucharest Court of Appeal ruled that the exclusion of FC U Craiova from FRF was illegal.[14] On 15 November 2012, the Court ruled that the validation decision was also illegal.[11] Although the club was invited to sign up in the Liga II for the 2012–13 season,[15] the owner of the club refused this invitation.[16]
On 2 March 2013, the club announced that it filed a request to rejoin the competitions, starting from the 2013–14 season,[17] in Liga II. However, at the same time, the local authorities from the city of Craiova created another football team, called CS Universitatea Craiova, claiming the right to continue the team that was removed from Liga I in 2011. A new legal battle soon started between the two. Eventually CS Universitatea was acknowledged as owner of the "Universitatea Craiova" brand and was allowed to list the record of Universitatea Craiova between 1948 and 1991,[18] but not with the record for the next 20 years, that FC Universitatea is now allowed to claim.[19]
In the meantime, in the summer of 2013, both FC Universitatea and CS Universitatea officially rejoined the Liga II competition, Series II. The first match of this team was the victory against SCM Argeşul Piteşti in the fourth round of the Romanian Cup, qualifying to the fifth round of the competition. FC Universitatea and CS Universitatea competed in the same league and met in two games that year, both ended 0–0.[20] With a more stable and sustainable financing, CS Universitatea promoted to Liga I that year, while FC Universitatea withdrew from the competition.[21][22] The company operating the team went bankrupt, so FC Universitatea no longer appeared in any competition.[23]
Rebirth
In 2017, Adrian Mititelu created a new company and his team was allowed to participate in the top regional tier of Dolj County,[24][25] which it won in the first year and was promoted to Liga III.[26]
Support
FC U Craiova is supported by the Peluza Sud 97 ultras. Due to the strong division among the Universitatea fans in the city, the other ultras groups either support CS Universitatea Craiova or remain neutral.
In March 2018, FC U Craiova supporters attending a friendly game between Romania and Sweden at the Stadionul Ion Oblemenco booed Universitatea Craiova player Alexandru Mitriță upon being substituted out.[27] As a response CS Universitatea Craiova fans symbolically used insecticide to "get rid of the stench" left over by Peluza Sud 97 ultras.[28]
FC U's main rival is FC Dinamo București. The rivalry was amplified in 2002 and 2005 when Dinamo transferred an important group of players from Craiova.[citation needed] Other rivalries of FC U are with Steaua București and CS Universitatea Craiova, the latter rivalry because FC U claims the history of Universitatea.
Honours
Note: As of November 2017, LPF attributes all Universitatea Craiova trophies won between 1948 and 1991 to the CS Universitatea Craiova entity.[1] FC U's only major trophy would be the 1992–93 Cupa României, although it is also claimed by CS U Craiova.[2]
Domestic
Leagues
- Liga IV – Dolj County
- Winners (1): 2017–18
Cups
- Cupa României – Dolj County
- Winners (1): 2017–18
Friendly
Norcia Winter Cup Italy
- Winners: 2003
European record
Competition | S | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
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UEFA Champions League / European Cup | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | –1 |
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup / European Cup Winners' Cup | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | +1 |
UEFA Europa League / UEFA Cup | 4 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 9 | –6 |
UEFA Intertoto Cup | 2 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 11 | +4 |
Total | 8 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 27 | 29 | – 2 |
Current squad
- As of 16 September 2018
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Club officials
Board of directors
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Current technical staff
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Notable former coaches
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References
- ^ As of November 2017, LPF attributes all Universitatea Craiova trophies won between 1948 and 1991 to the CS Universitatea Craiova entity.[1] FC U's only major trophy would be the 1992–93 Cupa României, although it is also claimed by CS U.[2]
- ^ a b "Informare cu privire la palmaresul CS Universitatea Craiova" [Information about the records of CS U Craiova] (in Romanian). LPF.ro. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Marcel Popescu vrea Cupa la Craiova după 25 de ani: "În faza asta nu mai există bun şi rău"" [Marcel Popescu wants the Cup in Craiova after 25 years: "At this point there is no good or bad"] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 14 March 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ "FC Universitatea Craiova este istorie! Tribunalul Brașov i-a dat lovitura decisivă lui Mititelu". stiridesport.ro. 17 September 2014.
- ^ "Șah la rege" (in Romanian). Craiova-Maxima.ro. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ "Hotărâri ale Comitetului Executiv al FRF". FRF. 20 July 2011. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Somaţie trimisă Fotbal Club U Craiova". FRF. 13 July 2011. Archived from the original on 14 September 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Statutul Federatiei Romane de Fotbal" (PDF). FRF. 26 February 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 October 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Universitatea a MURIT, trăiască Ştiinţa! Maşinăria de vot a lui Sandu a mers perfect". ProSport. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
- ^ "DNA a început urmărirea penală faţă de Comitetul Executiv al Federaţiei Române de Fotbal". Antena3. 22 October 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ "Şefii FRF, învinuiţi de DNA în dosarul cu privire la dezafilierea Universităţii Craiova". Antena3. 26 October 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ a b "O nouă victorie pentru Craiova la Tribunal! Sentinţa este una executorie şi produce efecte imediate". ProSport. 15 November 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
- ^ "FRF a câştigat procesul cu FC Universitatea Craiova. Dezafilierea din 2011 s-a făcut în condiţii legale". Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ Marius Mărgărit (15 June 2017), "Dezafilierea Universității Craiova: GAME OVER pentru Mititelu și Știința! A venit VERDICTUL: Mircea Sandu și Dumitru Dragomir, ACHITAȚI!", Gsp, retrieved 8 August 2018
- ^
"CURTEA DE APEL: Dezafilierea Universităţii Craiova, ILEGALĂ!". Realiteatea.net. 22 June 2012. Archived from the original on 25 June 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "FRF va invita oficial clubul Universitatea Craiova să se înscrie în Liga a II-a". Mediafax. 16 July 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
- ^ "Mititelu nu vrea să înscrie Universitatea Craiova în Liga a II-a". Libertatea. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
- ^ "FC Universitatea Craiova se intoarce in fotbalul romanesc". Ediţie Specială. 2 March 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ^ Vlad Nedelea (10 November 2017), "Informație importantă despre palmaresul Craiovei! Comunicat de ultimă oră al LPF + reacția lui Mititelu", Gsp, retrieved 8 August 2018
- ^ "UPDATE // FOTO Decizie DEFINITIVĂ la Apel! CS U Craiova, ZERO istorie! Verdictul publicat pe just.ro + motivarea instanței", Gsp, 18 June 2018, retrieved 8 August 2018
- ^ "CS U Craiova - FC U Craiova 0-0. Niciun gol în două jocuri pentru rivalele din Oltenia", Digisport.ro, 23 November 2013, retrieved 8 August 2018
- ^ Marius Ţone (27 March 2014), "FC Universitatea Craiova s-a retras din competiţia Ligii a II-a", Mediafax, retrieved 8 August 2018
- ^ "VIDEO FC Universitatea iese din competiții! Mititelu: "Nu ne mai putem desfășura activitatea"", Digisport.ro, 27 March 2014, retrieved 8 August 2018
- ^ ""U" Craiova a lui Adrian Mititelu - în faliment. Victor Piţurcă are de recuperat 7 milioane de euro", Stiriletvr.ro, 17 September 2014, retrieved 8 August 2018
- ^ "Ultima oră: "verde" pentru echipa lui Mititelu în Liga a 4-a". Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ Daniel Spasov (16 July 2017), "OFICIAL ǀ Mititelu a înscris Universitatea Craiova în Liga a 4-a: „Planul este ca în trei ani să fim în Liga 1!"", Evz.ro, retrieved 8 August 2018
- ^ Daniel Vlad; Sergiu Preda (17 June 2018), "Peluza Sud 97 şi FCU au sărbătorit promovarea în Liga 3. Video", Fanatik.ro, retrieved 8 August 2018
- ^ "ROMÂNIA - SUEDIA 1-0 // Mitriță, afectat de reacția fanilor: "Nu e firesc!" + E în dubiu pentru derby-ul cu CFR Cluj" [ROMANIA - SWEDEN 1-0 // Mitriță, affected by fans' reaction: "It's not normal!" + His presence is in doubt for the derby with CFR Cluj]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 28 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- ^ "Au folosit insecticid! Fanii Craiovei din Liga 1 au dezinfectat peluza ocupată la meciul cu Suedia de suporterii echipei lui Mititelu" [They used insecticide! Liga 1 fans of Craiova have disinfected the place where the supporters of Mititelu's team stayed at the match against Sweden] (in Romanian). ProSport. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2018.