FC Universitatea Craiova

Football club infobox
clubname = Universitatea Craiova


fullname = FC Universitatea Craiova
nickname = "Blue Lions"
"The Champions of a Great Love"
founded = 1948
ground = Ion Oblemenco,
Craiova
capacity = 27 915
chairman = flagicon|Romania Adrian Mititelu
manager = flagicon|Italy Nicolò Napoli
league = Liga I
season = 2007-08
position = Liga I, 9th
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FC Universitatea Craiova (Campioana unei mari Iubiri) is one of the most famous football clubs from Romania, along with Steaua Bucuresti and Dinamo Bucuresti. They became the first Romanian footbal team to reach the semifinals of a European tournament, respective UEFA Cup in 1984 .

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 the war.

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.

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.

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 have been relegated in the second football division for the first time in the history. Anyway, Craiova promoted the next year in Liga I.

National performances

* 4 times winners of the Romanian Championship: 1974, 1980, 1981, 1991
* 5 times Second Place: 1973, 1982, 1983, 1994, 1995
* 7 times Third Place: 1967, 1975, 1977, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1993
* Romanian Cup : 6 times Romanian Cup Winners: 1977, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1991, 1993
**1977 • 2 - 1 with Steaua Bucureşti
**1978 • 3 - 1 with Olimpia Satu-Mare
**1981 • 6 - 0 with Politehnica Timişoara
**1983 • 3 - 1 with Politehnica Timişoara
**1991 • 2 - 1 with FC Bacău
**1993 • 2 - 0 with Dacia Unirea Brăila
* 5 times Romanian Cup runners-up: 1975, 1985, 1994, 1998, 2000

International performances

* UEFA Cup semifinalist in 1983

* participated in 4 editions of the European Champions' Cup, Quarter-Finalist in 1981.

* participated in 14 editions of the UEFA Cup

Current squad

"As of 25 July, 2008"

Notable former players

Goalkeepers

* Paul Manta, Boldici, Silviu Lung, Stefan Crişan, Florin Prunea, Cristian Neamţu, Adnan Guso

Defenders

* Marin Marcel, I. Constantinescu, Sameş, Badin, Boc
* Deselnicu, Ciupitu, Smarandache, Negrilă, Tilihoi, Ştefănescu
* Nicolae Ungureanu, Purima, Adrian Bumbescu, Vasile Mănăilă, Florin Cioroianu, Emil Săndoi
* Gheorghe Popescu, Nicu Zamfir, Adrian Popescu, M. Rada, Cristian Vasc, Corneliu Papură, Cosmin Olăroiu
* Florin Bătrânu, Vochin, Flavius Stoican, Cosmin Bărcăuan, Cornel Frăsineanu, Cristian Chivu, M. Mitu
* Bolohan, Dumitru Mitriţă, Ionut Rada, Ionut Stancu, Mariko Daouda
* Mădălin Ciucă, Dorel Stoica, Josh Mitchell

Midfielders

* Ozon, Cricitoiu, Zbârcea, N. Ivan, Strâmbeanu
* Ţicleanu, Donose, Balaci, Beldeanu, Irimescu, Stângă, Badea
* Gh. Ciurea, Ceauşilă, Gabi Popescu, D. Bica, Olaru, Trică, S. Cristescu, I. Luţu, Buia, Doru Nicolae, Liţă Dumitru, H. Cioloboc
* DănutMoisescu, Dumitraşcu, Radu Niculescu, Ad. Pigulea, Gusti Călin, Marius Sava
* Domocoş, Şoavă, Pitu, Grigorie, Alexa, Bundea, Pleşan, Schumacher

Forwards

* Sfarlogea, Martinovici, Niţă, Iulian Bălan, Nedelcu II
* Ţărălungă, Ion Oblemenco, Marcu, V. Piţurcă
* Geolgău, Crişan Zoltan , Cămătaru, Cârţu, Bâcu, O. Popescu
* Neagoe, Ştefan Stoica, Roland Agalliu, George Biţă
* Gh.Craioveanu, Jerry Gane, Adrian Ungur, Ioan Ganea, Fl. Cârstea
* Cl. Niculescu, Victoras Iacob, I. Savu, Vlădoiu, N'Jock
* Fl. Costea, J. Wobay

Famous coaches

* Nicolò Napoli
* Ilie Balaci
* Mircea Rednic
* José Ramón Alexanko
* Emerich Jenei
* Emil Sandoi
* Victor Piţurcă
* Constantin Oţet
* Sorin Cârţu
* Valentin Stănescu
* Constantin Cernăianu
* Ion Oblemenco

External links

* [http://www.fcuniversitatea.ro Official Website]
* [http://www.craiova-maxima.ro/ Official fan club page]
* [http://www.gruppo-maxima.ro/ Gruppo Maxima Website]
* [http://www.sezione.ro/ Sezione page] (fans' site)
* [http://www.stiintacraiova.com/ Stiinta Craiova]
* [http://www.liga1.ro/teaminfo.php/14/ U.Craiova - Liga 1]