FCSB and Rapid officials name key opponents to remove ahead of Superliga derby

FCSB and Rapid are set to meet in a Superliga round 13 derby on Saturday, 24 October 2026, at 21:00 at Arena Națională. The match was rescheduled from Monday, 26 October 2026, following fan dissatisfaction with the LPF regarding the initial date.

Ahead of the fixture, club officials Mihai Stoica of FCSB and Victor Angelescu of Rapid identified opposing players they would prefer not to face. Stoica stated he would remove Olimpiu Moruțan and Alexandru Dobre from the Rapid squad. He also mentioned considering Swiss attacker Filip Stojilkovic for removal.

Victor Angelescu focused his concerns on the FCSB attack. He stated he would prevent Arnold Garita and Pădurariu from playing in the derby. Angelescu expressed these preferences during a joint appearance where both officials discussed their expectations for the match.

The two officials held differing views on the likely outcome. Mihai Stoica stated that betting odds favor FCSB at 2.20 compared to Rapid at 3.30. He argued that FCSB starts as the favorite due to superior squad quality and a much larger budget, while other expenses remain roughly equal between the clubs.

In contrast, Victor Angelescu assessed the chances as 50-50. He stated he would not accept a draw. Stoica cited the Italian phrase 'non c’e due senza tre' to express his optimism, noting that FCSB had won its last two matches under coach Laurențiu Reghecampf.

Rapid enters the match in second place in the Superliga with 27 points, two behind leader Dinamo. The team has recorded five consecutive league wins. Stoica acknowledged this form, noting Rapid had a series of six victories in recent contexts.

FCSB sits in sixth place with 18 points. The team is nine points ahead of Rapid in the standings despite the latter's higher position due to games in hand or other factors not detailed in the immediate table snapshot, but the point gap is noted as nine in some reports while others state Rapid is two behind Dinamo and FCSB is sixth.

Ticket sales for the derby have set a season record. Over 30,000 tickets were sold, with more than 5,000 allocated to Rapid fans. Mihai Stoica predicted attendance would exceed 35,000 spectators. He had previously estimated over 30,000 attendees, noting that colleagues expected only 26,000 to 27,000 due to the Saturday timing.

Stoica commented that holding the match on Monday would have been a disaster for Diaspora fans visiting Romania for the weekend. The move to Saturday was intended to accommodate these supporters.