Our men’s team face another away fixture: following Wednesday’s cup victory in Bistrița, we travel to Arad on Saturday to take on direct rivals UTA.

Our men’s team face another away fixture: following Wednesday’s cup victory in Bistrița, we travel to Arad on Saturday to take on direct rivals UTA. With little time between the two matches and another long journey ahead, the main focus has been on recovery and tactical preparation, but our objective remains unchanged: we want to return home with at least a point.

We are preparing for the eighth round of the Superliga in the midst of a demanding schedule. Our team were still in Bistrița on Wednesday evening, playing in the group stage of the Romanian Cup, where goals from Albert Stahl and Márton Eppel secured a 2–0 victory away to second-tier side Gloria. There was very little time after the cup tie for recovery and the tactical preparation of the match in Arad, while another journey of approximately eight hours awaited the squad on Friday.

UTA have had a similarly busy week. The Arad side recorded a 3–1 away victory over FCSB in the latest league round before winning 3–0 at Minerul Lupeni in the Romanian Cup on Wednesday. Adrian Mihalcea’s team therefore go into Saturday’s fixture on the back of two consecutive away victories.

UTA sit 14th in the table with six points after seven rounds. They have recorded one victory, three draws and three defeats, scoring six goals and conceding ten. They remain unbeaten at home but are also yet to win there, having drawn 2–2 with Oțelul Galați and 0–0 against both Rapid and Corvinul. Our team are currently 16th with one point, which would make a positive result away to a direct rival particularly valuable.

Ahead of the match, head coach István Szabó stressed the importance of focusing primarily on our own tasks and going for victory.

“I want us to focus on ourselves. We approach every match, whether it is in the cup or the league, with the intention of taking all three points. Perhaps we have a slight advantage in terms of familiarity with the venue, as we have already played against Corvinul in Arad. UTA are in good form, having won their last two matches, and they also produced a good performance against FCSB. We worked ahead, which allowed us to analyse our opponents, and on Friday we were able to practise the tactical elements that we may need. We are very confident that we can come away with a point or all three,” said our head coach.

“We had very little time, but that cannot be an excuse. The team from Arad did not have much more time either, although they do not have to contend with an eight-hour journey now. We are playing three matches in seven days and have to travel a very long distance for two of them. I do not want to focus the discussion on this and make it sound as though I am already looking for excuses, but facts are facts. Freshness and current form can be decisive in situations like this. Our main focus was on recovery and on giving the players the right information about our opponents. I trust them to carry out everything we have planned,” István Szabó added.

According to Zsolt Magyar, Wednesday’s physical cup tie in Bistrița was a serious test, but the victory can provide confidence ahead of another away assignment.

“It was clear that we faced a physically strong and difficult opponent on Wednesday. I believe we earned a valuable victory, playing good football at times and finding things a little more difficult at others, but the important thing was the win. There was no longer any significant training load between the two matches, as we focused more on tactical tasks. We tried to prepare as thoroughly as possible for our opponents, and that is essentially what we have spent the past two days doing,” said our midfielder.

Magyar expects to face a high-quality opponent in a difficult match, but feels that the cup victory can provide a solid foundation for earning a positive result.

“UTA are a very strong side who, with the support of their fans at home, represent a considerable force and are currently in good form as well. It will certainly not be an easy match, but I believe that we have a chance of taking points if we draw strength from Wednesday’s cup tie and the victory.”

Albert Stahl is preparing for a special encounter. Our player was born in Arad, developed in UTA’s academy and went on to represent the club’s senior side for several seasons. He will return to the Francisc Neuman Stadium for the second time this season: we played our opening match against Corvinul there at a neutral venue, but on Saturday his former club will be the opposition.

Stahl scored his first goal for FK Csíkszereda on Wednesday, heading Ádám Czékus’s cross into the net from close range.

“I was delighted with the goal because it was my first for this team. It was especially important that it came together with a victory for the team, because that is what matters most. I hope we can carry the positive mood from our cup success into the league and return home with all three points,” said Albert Stahl.

He did not deny the emotional significance of returning to Arad, but once on the pitch his sole focus will be on helping his current team succeed.

“It is always a good feeling to return home. I grew up there and played in Arad for a very long time. Once we step onto the pitch, however, the saying applies: we forget about our mothers and fathers. We are professional footballers and must do everything for the team we represent. Our only thought is to take all three points. I expect a great atmosphere, while we need to focus on our own game and position ourselves well on the pitch. I am certain that we are improving day by day and getting better from one match to the next, and that we will also produce a good performance in Arad.”

The two sides met three times in the Superliga last season. The regular-season fixture in Arad ended in a goalless draw, we recorded a 2–0 victory in Miercurea Ciuc, while UTA won 1–0 at the Francisc Neuman Stadium in the play-out. Their top-flight head-to-head record is therefore perfectly balanced, with one victory apiece and one draw, while the goal difference stands at 2–1 in our favour.

The UTA Arad–FK Csíkszereda match will kick off at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Francisc Neuman Stadium. The fixture will be broadcast live by Digi Sport 1 and Prima Sport 1.

R. A.