We head to Arad knowing that our place in next season’s Superliga is already secured. In the penultimate round of the play-out, we face UTA.
We head to Arad knowing that our place in next season’s Superliga is already secured. In the penultimate round of the play-out, we face UTA.
On Friday evening, we will play at one of the most beautiful stadiums in the country, the arena in Arad named after Baron Neuman Ferenc. Just a few weeks ago, even in our boldest dreams, we wouldn’t have imagined that this match would carry no stakes regarding survival – yet that is exactly the case, and it is a fantastic achievement. This is thanks to last weekend’s historic victory over FCSB, as well as other favorable results. As a consequence, there is no scenario in which FK Csíkszereda could finish below 12th place overall, which guarantees direct survival in the Superliga.
Moreover, we currently sit 10th in the standings and 4th in the play-out. It is also worth noting that we are currently the most successful team in the play-out, having collected 14 points in this phase, while FCSB, with 13 points, is second. Together with our current opponent UTA, who have also collected points consistently and never really faced relegation danger. However, the Arad side did not obtain a UEFA license for next season, so they are not eligible for the Conference League qualifiers.
FK Csíkszereda, on the other hand, has secured this license. To have a chance of finishing second in the play-out – which would grant access to a Conference League play-off against FCSB – FC Botoșani (currently third) would need to lose at home to Petrolul in this round. Only then would it be worth discussing this possibility. At the pre-match press conference, the focus was mainly on the historic achievement of staying in the top division.
“When I entered the dressing room at the beginning of the week, I congratulated the team. They fully deserved it because they put in a tremendous amount of work. They made history – not only for themselves but also for the city. We are very proud of them,” said head coach Ilyés Róbert.
He emphasized that the success is collective: “Behind every coach there is a staff working alongside him every day. I am lucky to work with such colleagues, so this success belongs to all of us.”
Regarding the remaining two matches, he set clear goals: “We want to continue the run we have built. We have become the surprise team of the play-out and we want to maintain that. It’s important not to lose, and if possible, to carry this streak until the final round.”
About the match in Arad, he added: “I expect a tough game, as UTA will play their last home match of the season, so the atmosphere will be great. We respect them and their history, but we want to return home with a point or points.”
Goalkeeper Simon Máté said securing survival brought great relief: “It was a huge joy, a big weight off our shoulders. We achieved an important goal, but we are not stopping here. We keep working and we are proud to play in the top division next season as well.”
As a local player, the success means even more to him: “I grew up here, I know the city and the fans. It’s a special feeling to play for this community, so this survival means even more to me.”
Another academy graduate, Dusinszki Szabolcs, highlighted that the team exceeded expectations: “At the start of the season, few believed we would stay up, but in the second half we became a very united team. Our defensive organization improved a lot, which contributed to this success.”
He also stressed the importance of the remaining matches: “We prepare the same way as before. There are still six points at stake and we want to get the maximum from them. Even though we secured survival, we are not satisfied with just that.”
The match kicks off on Friday at 18:00 and will be broadcast live on Digisport 1 and Prima Sport 1.
Attila Rédai
Photo: Zoltán Pál