Frosinone coach Alvini selects Bîrligea to replace injured Raimondo

Frosinone coach Massimiliano Alvini has selected Daniel Bîrligea to replace Antonio Raimondo in the team's starting lineup following a significant injury to the club's leading scorer. Reports indicate that Alvini chose the Romanian forward over teammate Tomas Bobcek to fill the vacant position in Frosinone's offensive trident. This decision comes as the team prepares for their next Serie A fixture against Cagliari, where Bîrligea is expected to start.

Raimondo sustained a left ankle contusion-sprain with ligament damage during a match against Torino. The injury occurred after 30 minutes of play following a tackle by Zakaria Aboukhlal. Medical staff estimate his recovery will require between five and six weeks, ruling him out of several upcoming league rounds. Before this setback, Raimondo had scored eight goals in the first ten matchdays of the Serie A season and was cited by journalist Orazio Accomando as the championship's top scorer at the time of the report.

The confirmed absence list includes league matches against Cagliari, Milan, and Parma. Raimondo aims to return for the fixture against Inter on December 5 or the match versus Udinese on December 11. His unavailability prompted the coaching staff to evaluate alternatives, ultimately favoring Bîrligea despite the presence of Bobcek, who joined Frosinone from Legia Gdansk earlier in the year for a reported fee of 11 million euros.

Bîrligea recently demonstrated his potential impact by scoring two goals as a substitute in the previous match against Lecce. This performance satisfied coach Alvini and provided a tangible basis for the selection decision. Prior to that outing, the forward had appeared in four matches for Frosinone without finding the net. Journalist Orazio Accomando noted that Bîrligea is appreciated by the coach and has integrated well into the squad, citing his understanding of the language as a contributing factor.

The Romanian international joined Frosinone from FCSB at the end of August on a loan deal running until the end of the season. The loan agreement included an upfront fee of 1.5 million euros. Crucially, the contract contains a conditional obligation: Frosinone must make the transfer permanent for 3.5 million euros if the club avoids relegation from Serie A. Transfermarkt currently values Bîrligea at 4.5 million euros.