We prepare for the return match against CFR Cluj with team members who have reached important milestones: in the penultimate match of the year, we aim to spring a surprise in the “treasure city”.

We prepare for the return match against CFR Cluj with team members who have reached important milestones: in the penultimate match of the year, we aim to spring a surprise in the “treasure city”.

Our head coach, Róbert Ilyés, obtained his UEFA Pro Licence at the beginning of the week — the highest coaching qualification of the European federation, a “master’s degree” for professionals working in club and national-team football, and a prerequisite for leading a top-flight senior team or any side competing in UEFA tournaments. The FK Csíkszereda manager is the first coach from Harghita County to hold this qualification. We congratulate him!

At the same time, following the departure of Marius Măldărășanu from Hermannstadt, Róbert Ilyés has become the longest-serving head coach currently in charge of a SuperLiga club.

At the press conference preceding our match with CFR Cluj, we first asked our coach to reflect on these milestones. “I am very proud, because I know how difficult it is to reach this high-level qualification — I really had to work for it. I gained a lot of experience through the training organised by the federation, I was able to look into the work of many coaches, and we collaborated extensively with the association. I hope that the experience gained here will count in the future and that I will be able to put it to good use with my team,” said Róbert Ilyés.

As for the second milestone, the coach is grateful for the club’s long-term trust, as they agreed on a three-year contract two and a half years ago. “This gave me stability and calmness, and I don’t want to stop here — I want to keep going. I am proud of this result as well, but I also know that this alone is just a statistical fact. What matters much more to me is what I can do for the team,” he added.

In the first round we drew 2–2 with CFR at home in a match postponed to 16 October due to the hosts’ European schedule. Since then, however, the railwaymen have undergone significant changes. “Since Dan Petrescu left, the structure of the team has changed, they’ve had a coaching change. At the moment they don’t look like the team we’d grown used to in recent years, but their squad is still full of quality, experienced, in some cases international players. The club has an identity we must respect — but we will try to stand up to them and play not only attractive football, but effective football as well,” stressed our head coach.

Another player reaching a milestone is our goalkeeper Eduard Pap, who is set to play his 200th top-flight match in Cluj. “I am very happy to have reached my 200th match. I thank God that I am healthy, and I must continue like this so that many more matches will come. It is a special moment, but I still have to do my job,” said our experienced keeper. “We are now preparing for the match against CFR. We are playing against a valuable team, it will be a difficult game, but they are not in their best moment either. We must step onto the pitch bravely and believe that we can return home with one or more points,” Pap added.

Our captain, Szilárd Veres, is also optimistic, even though the team is currently going through a tougher period. “I don’t think we have become tired or that this is causing this more difficult period. The last two matches indeed did not go very well, but before that I think we played a very good match against Slobozia, and we hope it will be the same against CFR. We are aware that it will not be easy, but we played a good game against them at home as well, and we trust that we can bring home one or more points from Cluj,” said our midfielder, who was in fact developed at CFR.

The second 2025 meeting between CFR Cluj and FK Csíkszereda will take place at the Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Stadium on Friday at 20:30, in Round 20 of the SuperLiga’s regular season. The match will, as usual, be broadcast by DigiSport 1 and Prima Sport 1. A supporters’ bus will depart for those who wish to cheer for the team on site; registration is possible with László “Egér” Tamás at 0743-314 314.

Rédai Attila