Gheorghe Hagi (59 years old) breathes a sigh of relief! Because after the fabulous season he had, 2022-2023, crowned by winning the title, the current season could be an extremely bad one. First, it was missing the groups of a European competition last summer, Farul exiting the Conference League play-offs after the double with HJK Helsinki (Finland). And now, before the last round of the regular season, the presence of the Lighthouse in the championship play-off was at stake!
Gheorghe Hagi, manager of the Constanța Lighthouse
Even if the “sailors” crawled into the top 6, taking the last place thanks to a lackluster draw with last-ranked FC Botoșani, this performance is what counts. Both from a sporting and financial point of view. Because we are talking about a difference of 200,000 euros in television rights between the 6th and 7th places! And anyway, once entered the play-off, Hagi's team can finish the season even higher than the 6th position. As a result, the financial gain can be even higher.
After Friday's games, the hierarchy of the play-off, after the halving of the points, took a partial shape. With the clarification that there are two more matches that can influence the hierarchy. We are talking about the parties Rapid – FCSB and U Craiova 1948 – Craiova University.
Play-off standings after halving points
1. FCSB 32p
2. CFR Cluj 27p*
3. Fast 26p
4. Craiova University 23p
5. Sepsis 22p*
6. Constanta Lighthouse 22p*
*teams that benefited from rounding up the score.
The 30th stage, the last of the regular season
Friday
CFR Cluj – Hermannstadt 1-0
Dinamo – UTA 1-0
Oil – Sepsi 1-2
Volunteers – Cluj University 0-0
Botoșani – Farul 0-0
Saturday
Fast – FCSB 20.00
Sunday
FC U Craiova 1948 – Craiova University 20.45
Months
Oțelul Galati – Poli Iasi 20.00
Ranking
1. FCSB 29 19 7 3 53-24 64
2. CFR Cluj 30 15 8 7 54-29 53
3. Fast 29 14 10 5 51-32 52
4. University of Craiova 29 12 10 7 45-37 46
5. Sepsis 30 12 7 11 43-34 43
6. Constanta Lighthouse 30 11 10 9 37-38 43
7. Cluj University 30 10 12 8 35-38 42
8. Hermannstadt 30 9 13 8 36-31 40
9. UTA 30 10 10 10 36-43 40
10. Oil 30 7 14 9 29-32 35
11. Galati Steel 29 6 15 8 30-35 33
12. Poli Iasi 29 7 11 11 32-43 32
13. FC U Craiova 1948 29 9 4 16 42-48 31
14. Dinamo 30 8 5 17 22-41 29
15. Volunteers 30 6 10 14 31-49 28
16. Botoșani 30 3 12 15 30-52 21
*Places 1-6 enter the play-off (round-trip, 10 stages in total).
*Places 7-16 will continue in the play-out (single leg, 9 stages in total).
*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.
*The 9th and 10th places in the play-out are directly relegated. The relegable places 7/8 in the play-out play a play-off with the places 3/4 in League 2.
