Universitatea Craiova draws with Getafe in Conference League opener

Universitatea Craiova drew 1-1 with Getafe in the first round of the Conference League main phase. Assad Al Hamlawi scored for the Romanian side in the 59th minute. Nemanja Gudelj equalized for the Spanish visitors in the 81st minute.

The result ensures Universitatea Craiova will receive 133,000 euros from UEFA. A victory would have yielded 400,000 euros for the club.

Adrian Mutu commented on the performance after the match. He stated that Craiova played well and displayed good personality against Getafe. Mutu identified Cicâldău as the best player on the field.

Getafe coach Jose Bordalas expressed admiration for the Ion Oblemenco stadium before the fixture. He noted that Universitatea Craiova has interesting players and potential. Bordalas acknowledged the challenge posed by the atmosphere.

Getafe is the second Spanish team to play a European cup match in Craiova. Betis Sevilla was the first, visiting 42 years ago. The squad value of Getafe is listed at 98.9 million euros on Transfermarkt. This figure is approximately three times higher than that of Universitatea Craiova.

Getafe finished seventh in La Liga last season. They currently sit 14th in the table with eight points after eight rounds. Their most recent league match ended in a 3-0 loss to FC Barcelona at Nou Camp.

In the Conference League play-off round, Getafe eliminated Partizan Belgrad. The aggregate scores were 3-1 and 1-2 across the two legs.

Getafe traveled to Craiova with 19 players. The traveling squad included Borja Mayoral, Gudelj, and Satriano. Dani Carvajal recently joined Getafe but was ineligible to play in this stage of the competition. He did not travel with the team. Mauro and Milla were also absent from the squad.

Approximately 300 fans traveled with Getafe to support the team. Mario Martin was recently a substitute for Spain U21 in a 7-1 win against Romania U21 in Ibiza.

Universitatea Craiova has several upcoming matches in the Conference League. They will play away against Inter d'Escaldes on October 22. A home match against Egnatia is scheduled for November 5. The team will travel to face Brighton on November 26 and Kairat Almaty on December 10. The final group match listed is at home against FC Copenhaga on December 17.