The majority shareholder of Rapid, Dan Şucu, announced, on Thursday, in a press release published on the official website, that the team needs all its supporters during this period and specified that it will travel next to the gallery for the match with University of Craiova, scheduled, on Saturday, at the Ion Oblemenco Stadium.
Dan Sucu
“The most difficult period of the championship, but also the most beautiful, the play-off, has already begun. And, along with it, as we expected, the disinformation campaigns, generating confusion and division. In the match against Farul we have already seen the result. The principles underlying the functioning of our club were, are and will always be the same. They are not and will not be changing. Rapid exists for at least a million hearts that support and fight for it. The most ardent supporters are in the Rapidu gallery, which has long been recognized as the most united and strongest in Romania. Our team is the only one in the country that is accompanied by a strong and enthusiastic gallery even at away games, no matter in which corner of the country the match is played. Our players are used to being supported and they really need this support. It is, if you like, our differentiating factor“, said the shareholder in the quoted statement.
“Since I invested in Rapid, I wanted to participate, together with the gallery, in some of the trips, to be able to personally experience the vibe, the feelings and the enthusiasm of the boys. Since I gladly received the invitation of those in the gallery to go away with them, and I thank them in this way, I don't see a better opportunity than Saturday's match, against Olten. A difficult match, against a valuable team, which aims for the same thing that we aim for: to win! I appreciated and appreciate very much the passion with which the boys encourage their team, their willingness to leave their families, at distances of hundreds of kilometers, traveling day or night, in often harsh conditions. I invite all of you who can, to join the gallery on Saturday's trip from Craiova. The team needs us! And the speedsters know best how to encourage their boys“, he added.
Referring to the case of the leader of the gallery, Liviu Ungureanu, and other supporters, detained in a file regarding the illegal use of pyrotechnic materials in stadiums, Dan Şucu mentioned that deprivation of liberty is too harsh a measure for such an act.
“Lately, however, their passion is not only not encouraged anymore, but it even goes through a period of guilt, with which we cannot agree. Wanting to create an additional show to the one on the field, the boys in the gallery also resorted to pyrotechnic materials, which cannot legally be used in a stadium. Yes, the law must be respected, and these materials, under certain conditions, can become dangerous for viewers. Undoubtedly, it would be good, that in the future, they stop using them and we can fully comply with the law. I am convinced, however, that the use of these pyrotechnic materials should not, in any case, be a disobedience punishable by such a harsh measure as deprivation of liberty“, he said.
“Another important principle is that the income generated by the club, from tickets, from the sale of products, advertising, TV rights, etc., supplemented by the money coming from the shareholders, must be used in full to create a team and a club from increasingly stronger, more competitive. I guarantee you that there are no people or companies “plugged” into Rapid's accounts, who will divert the money you pay to the club into their pockets“, the majority shareholder also sent.
The president of the Rapid club, Daniel Niculae, a member of the Executive Committee of the Romanian Football Federation, is being investigated at liberty in a file, opened on March 14, regarding the illegal use of pyrotechnic materials in stadiums during football matches.
In this case, the leader of the Rapid gallery, Liviu Ungurean, said “Boor“, was pre-arrested for 30 days, along with two other ultras. The decision was taken by the Bucharest Court, at the proposal of the prosecutors from the Capital Prosecutor's Office, after lethal weapons were found in the residence of members of the Rapid gallery involved in this case.
Another 12 ultras, detained on Thursday, were placed under judicial control for 60 days, being investigated for the crimes of forming an organized criminal group, operations with pyrotechnic articles carried out without the right, non-compliance with the weapons and ammunition regime and destruction.
Play-off, 2nd stage
Friday
Sepsis – CFR Cluj 20.30
Saturday
University of Craiova – Rapid 21.00
Sunday
Farul – FCSB 21.00
Ranking
1. FCSB 35 points
2. University of Craiova 28p*
3. Fast 28p*
4. CFR Cluj 27p*
5. Constanta Lighthouse 25p*
6. Sepsis 22p*
*teams that benefited from rounding up the score.
**The 1st place in the play-off participates in the Champions League, and the 2nd and 3rd place in the play-off in the Europa Conference League. The 3rd place in the play-off will play a play-off with the winner of the play-off between the 1st and 2nd places in the play-out for a place in the Europa Conference League.
Play-out, 2nd stage
Friday
Volunteers – Hermannstadt 17.30
Saturday
Botoșani – Poli Iasi 15.45
Cluj University – UTA 18.00
Sunday
FC U Craiova – Steel 14.00
Months
Dinamo – Petrol 20.30
Ranking
1. U Cluj 24 points
2. Hermannstadt 23p
3. UTA 23p
4. Petrol 21p*
5. Steel 20p
6. Poli Iasi 17p*
7. FCU Craiova 16p*
8. Dynamo 15p*
9. Volunteers 14p
10. Botoșani 11p
*teams that benefited from rounding up the score.
**The 3rd place in the play-off will play a play-off with the winner of the play-off between the 1st and 2nd places in the play-out for a place in the Europa Conference League. The 9th and 10th places in the play-out are relegated directly. The relegable places 7/8 in the play-out play a play-off with the places 3/4 in League 2.
