CS Universitatea Craiova facts for kids
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| Full name | U Craiova 1948 Club Sportiv SA | |||
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| Short name | U Craiova | |||
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| Ground | Ion Oblemenco | |||
| Capacity | 30,983 | |||
| Owners | Mihai Rotaru (95%) Adrian Andrici (5%) |
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| Chairman | Mihai Rotaru | |||
| Head coach | Constantin Gâlcă | |||
| League | Liga I | |||
| 2023–24 | Liga I, 3rd of 16 | |||
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U Craiova 1948 Club Sportiv, also known as Universitatea Craiova, is a professional football team from Craiova, Dolj County, Romania. They play in Liga I, which is the top football league in Romania.
The club was first started in 1948 as part of the CSU Craiova sports club. It was a big part of the club until 1991. During those years, Universitatea won four national league titles and five national cups. After 1991, the football team went through some changes and was even removed from the league for a while.
In 2013, the original sports club brought back its football team. This new team says it carries on the history and wins of the first Universitatea Craiova. Many courts and the Romanian football league (LPF) agree with them. In 2018, the team won the Cupa României, which was their first trophy since restarting. In 2021, they won the Supercupa României.
On the European stage, Universitatea Craiova has done very well. They reached the semi-finals of the 1982–83 UEFA Cup and the quarter-finals of the 1981–82 European Cup. They were the first Romanian team to reach a semi-final in a European tournament. They are also the only Romanian team to have beaten at least one club from each of the five strongest football countries in Europe: England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The team plays its home games at the Stadionul Ion Oblemenco, which can hold over 30,000 fans. They have several rivalries, especially with Dinamo București.
Contents
History of Universitatea Craiova
The story of Universitatea Craiova is full of exciting moments and important achievements in Romanian football.
Football in Craiova's Early Days (1921–1958)
Football began in Craiova in 1921 with two early teams. In 1940, these teams joined together to form FC Craiova. This team was the first from Craiova to win the Romanian football championship. However, the Romanian Football Federation does not officially recognize this 1942–43 title.
In 1948, a group of teachers and students started CSU Craiova. This was a sports club with many different sections, including football. The football team was called UNSR Craiova. They played their first official match on September 5, 1948, but lost 6–3.
In 1950, the football team changed its name to CSU Craiova, just like its parent club. In 1953, the club was renamed Știința Craiova. A year later, in 1954, Știința moved up to the second division of Romanian football for the first time. They only stayed there for one season before going back to the third division until 1958.
Universitatea: A Rising Team (1958–1970)
In 1958, Știința was promoted to the second league again. They had a tough competition but managed to win their group. In their first season after promotion, they finished 13th. Over the next few seasons, they improved their rankings.
In the 1963–64 season, the Students won promotion to the top league, Divizia A. This was a big moment for the club. The team was led by coach Nicolae Oțeleanu and included many talented players.
Their first season in Divizia A was challenging, but they avoided relegation. The next season, they finished in eighth place. This showed they were building a strong team that could aim for the championship.
In the summer of 1966, the club's name changed from Știința Craiova to Universitatea Craiova. However, fans still often used the name Știința in their chants. For example, they would shout Hei, hei, hai Știința! when the team was losing.
The following seasons had mixed results, but the team always stayed in the first division. They finished third in 1966–67 and fourth in 1969–70, showing their growing strength.
"The Champion of a Great Love" (1970–1979)
In the 1970s, Craiova built a strong team with key players like Ion Oblemenco and Ilie Balaci. In the 1972–73 season, they finished with the same points as Dinamo București. However, they lost the championship because Dinamo had a better goal difference. This season gave them the nickname "the Champion of a Great Love." This name was created by poet Adrian Păunescu, a big fan of the team. He meant that Craiova was the true champion in the hearts of the people, even if they didn't win the title.
In the 1973–74 season, Universitatea and Dinamo fought for the title again. This time, Craiova won the championship by one point. They became the first university team in Europe to win a national title. Dinamo was often seen as the favorite team of the government at the time. So, Universitatea's win was seen as a victory for pure football against outside influences.
The 1974–75 season was their first time playing in the UEFA European Cup. They lost to a Swedish team but finished third in their league. In 1977, Universitatea won the Romanian Cup for the first time. They beat Steaua București in the final.
In 1978, they won the Romanian Cup again, beating Olimpia Satu Mare. The 1978–79 season ended with them in fourth place in the league. In the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, they were eliminated in the first round.
Craiova Maxima (1979–1991)
Craiova Maxima (The Maximum Craiova) was the club's second golden generation. This team included many players who also played for the Romania national football team. Some famous players were Ilie Balaci, Rodion Cămătaru, and Costică Ștefănescu.
At the end of the 1979–80 season, Universitatea won the Romanian championship for the second time. The team was coached by Valentin Stănescu and Ion Oblemenco. In the UEFA Cup, they beat teams like Wiener SC and Leeds United.
In the 1980–81 season, the team achieved a historic "double," winning both the league and the cup. This success led them to the 1981–82 European Cup. There, Craiova Maxima became even more famous. They beat Olympiacos and KB. They were stopped in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich. This was a huge achievement for Romanian football at the time.
In the 1982–83 season, they made history again by reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. They were the first Romanian team to do so. Under coaches Constantin Oțet and Nicolae Ivan, they defeated strong teams like Fiorentina, Bordeaux, and Kaiserslautern. In the semi-final, they faced Benfica, a very strong Portuguese team. After two tied games, Benfica advanced because of the away goals rule. In the league, Universitatea finished second again.
Throughout the rest of the 1980s, Universitatea Craiova consistently ranked high in the league. They also played in European competitions regularly. They beat teams like Real Betis, AS Monaco, and Galatasaray. However, they couldn't get past the third round in these tournaments. In 1985, they lost a Romanian Cup final to Steaua București.
In 1991, CS Universitatea Craiova won its last Romanian Cup. This team, with players like Gheorghe Craioveanu and Pavel Badea, also won the championship trophy.
Changes and Rebranding (1991–present)
In 1991, the original CS Universitatea Craiova sports club stopped its football section. Another club, Fotbal Club Universitatea Craiova, continued the tradition for about 20 years. This club won a Romanian Cup in 1993. However, problems with how the club was run led to them being moved down a league in 2005. This ended 41 years of playing in the top division.
In 2011, the Romanian Football Federation temporarily removed the club from the league. This happened because the club did not follow rules about settling disagreements in sports courts. All the players became free to join other teams.
In 2013, local officials in Craiova, with support from former player Pavel Badea, brought back the football section of CS U Craiova. This new CS U team said they owned all the history and trophies of the original Universitatea. This was confirmed by courts in 2016 and by the LPF in 2017.
In August 2013, CS Universitatea Craiova was allowed to join the Romanian Football Federation again. They started playing in Liga II, the second tier of Romanian football. They won their first game 6–1 in the Romanian Cup. In the 2013–14 Liga II season, CS Universitatea Craiova was promoted back to Liga I after 23 years. The other team, FC U Craiova, was permanently removed from the league but later reappeared in 2017.
After being promoted, Universitatea finished fifth in the 2014–15 season. In the 2016–17 season, they finished fourth, which meant they could play in European competitions again. They played against A.C. Milan in the UEFA Europa League but were eliminated.
On May 27, 2018, Universitatea won its first trophy since restarting: the Cupa României. They beat Hermannstadt 2–0 in the final. A month later, the club's name was officially changed to U Craiova 1948 Club Sportiv SA. They also played in the 2018 Supercupa României but lost 0–1.
On August 3, 2020, Universitatea Craiova almost won its first national league title since 1991. They were playing against CFR Cluj at home. Craiova scored first, but CFR Cluj won the game 3–1, becoming champions for the third year in a row.
Home Stadiums
Universitatea Craiova has a long history with its home stadiums, especially the Ion Oblemenco Stadium.
The Old Stadionul Ion Oblemenco (1967)
The original Stadionul Ion Oblemenco was a stadium in Craiova used mainly for football. It was first called Central Stadium and could hold up to 25,252 people. It opened on October 29, 1967, with a friendly match between Romania and Poland that ended in a 2–2 tie.
This stadium hosted many important matches during the Craiova Maxima era. These included the 1981–82 European Cup quarter-final against Bayern Munich and the 1982–83 UEFA Cup semi-final against Benfica. After the death of Universitatea Craiova legend Ion Oblemenco in 1996, the stadium was renamed in his honor. The stadium was renovated in 2008 and completely taken down in 2015 to build a new one.
The New Stadionul Ion Oblemenco
The new Ion Oblemenco Stadium was opened on November 10, 2017. It has a capacity of 30,929 seats. The first match played there was a friendly game between Universitatea Craiova and the Czech club Slavia Prague.
Fan Support
Universitatea Craiova has many loyal fans, especially in the Oltenia region of Romania. They are considered the third most supported team in Romania, after FCSB and Dinamo București.
There are many fan groups, called ultras. For a while, fans were divided because of confusion about which club was the original Universitatea. Some groups chose to support CS Universitatea Craiova, while others supported FC U Craiova. Over time, as CS Universitatea Craiova gained more recognition for holding the club's history, many new fan groups were formed to support them.
Rivalries
Universitatea Craiova has a big rivalry with Dinamo București. This rivalry started in the 1972–73 season. Both teams finished with the same number of points, but Dinamo won the championship because they had a slightly better goal difference.
The team also has smaller rivalries with other clubs from the capital city, Bucharest. These include Steaua București, FCSB, and Rapid București. In recent years, a minor rivalry has also started with Pandurii Târgu Jiu, another team from the Oltenia region.
Club Achievements
Note: The Romanian football league (LPF) and a court order from 2023 agree that CS U Craiova owns all the trophies won by Universitatea Craiova between 1948 and 1991. There was a disagreement with another club, FC U Craiova 1948, about who owned these honors.
National Competitions
Leagues
- Liga I
- Winners (4): 1973–74, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1990–91
- Runners-up (4): 1972–73, 1981–82, 1982–83, 2019–20
- Liga II
- Winners (2): 1963–64, 2013–14
- Runners-up (1): 1960–61
- Liga III
- Winners (1): 1957–58
Cups
- Cupa României
- Winners (7): 1976–77, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1990–91, 2017–18, 2020–21
- Runners-up (2): 1974–75, 1984–85
- Supercupa României
- Winners (1): 2021
- Runners-up (1): 2018
Players
Current Team Squad
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Players on Loan
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Club Management
Board of Directors
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Coaching Staff
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Records and Statistics
European Competitions History
| Competition | S | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
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| UEFA Champions League / European Cup | 3 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 14 | −2 |
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup / European Cup Winners' Cup | 3 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 15 | +4 |
| UEFA Europa League / UEFA Cup | 14 | 53 | 22 | 10 | 21 | 36 | 53 | −17 |
| UEFA Europa Conference League | 2 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 5 | +4 |
| Total | 22 | 81 | 31 | 18 | 32 | 76 | 87 | −11 |
League Performance History
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Notable Former Players
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Players in International Tournaments
2015 Africa Cup of Nations
- Cape Verde – Kay
- Cape Verde – Nuno Rocha
2024 Africa Cup of Nations
- Equatorial Guinea – Basilio Ndong
Notable Former Coaches
Romania
Gavril Balint- Gheorghe Mulțescu
- Eugen Neagoe
- Victor Pițurcă
- Laurențiu Reghecampf
- Emil Săndoi
Bulgaria
Ivaylo Petev
Greece
Marinos Ouzounidis
Italy
Cristiano Bergodi- Devis Mangia
See also
In Spanish: U Craiova 1948 Club Sportiv para niños
