On Friday in the late afternoon, the attention of football fans from Székely Land will turn toward Sibiu, where FK Csíkszereda will play another very important match at the city’s new and very beautiful stadium.

Our current opponent is the only team in this season’s Superliga against whom we managed to collect all three points both at home and away during the regular season. This fact may set the tone for this match as well; at the same time, however, it is precisely this that makes the game more difficult, as the Sibiu-based team will try to take advantage of one of their last chances against us to secure their place in the top division.

As the saying goes, another six-point clash, one that can be considered decisive, awaits the team led by Róbert Ilyés, which has won its last two matches in the play-out and has recorded three victories, one draw, and one defeat in its last five matches. At the same time, Hermannstadt can also rightfully feel that it is improving its form, as it drew in the previous round away at Petrolul after defeating Farul in Sibiu one round earlier, and with those four points it managed to climb up from the penultimate position, which leads directly to relegation.

Continuing the tradition introduced a few weeks ago in our preview articles, let us take a look at how FK Csíkszereda would stand in an imaginary table that takes into account only the matches played in the 2026 calendar year: among the 16 teams in the league, with 8 wins, 2 draws, and 4 losses, and with the 26 points collected this year, we would be in fourth place, three points behind third-placed Craiova. At the same time, among the play-out teams we would still be leading this table, followed by next weekend’s opponent, FCSB, who remain one point behind us.

All of this can provide even more confidence for the red-and-black side, whose head coach, Róbert Ilyés, pointed out at the pre-match press conference: “I believe that we are about to play perhaps our most important match, because with a victory we could one hundred percent secure our safety from direct relegation. This will be a key match in Sibiu.” He also emphasized the opponent’s motivation: “We know that they are also playing one of their last chances, they will give everything for victory, so it will not be an easy task for us.” Ilyés highlighted that the key to success lies primarily in mental strength and organization: “I hope that the team will rise to the level required by this match. We need to bring mental strength and energy, to be stable and compact, to defend well, and to do everything in order to achieve victory.”

According to the head coach, the players are fully aware of the importance of the stakes, but this does not necessarily represent a disadvantage: “Everyone knows how important they are to this team and what consequences relegation could have. I see that we are mentally prepared, and on match day it will be decided by how well we can stay focused and united in both defense and attack.” The recent successes have given the team positive momentum, but the coach urges caution: “The last two victories have given the team an impulse; of course, it is always better to work when you win. But in such moments a setback can come easily, so we must not relax. It is very important that a victory leads to another victory, and I hope the boys will prove this on Friday.”

For our striker Márton Eppel, Sibiu brings back good memories, as he managed to score in the autumn match, and he is hoping for a similar scenario now: “I hope that I will be able to score again and that the team will win. I am sure that it will be a difficult match, because even though we have won our last two games, for many teams these are the last chances to catch up, and I think this is also the case for Hermannstadt.” He added that the recent successes provide an important mental foundation: “The past weeks, especially the last two victories, have given us positivity and a certain calmness. We can trust in our game and in the fact that we are capable of winning again.”

In goal, the consistent performances of Eduard Pap provide a solid foundation for the team. According to the goalkeeper, the key to development lies in daily work and the right environment: “Every day is a new motivation for me. I try to improve continuously, to become better day by day, and I am glad that I am surrounded by people who help me in this. This cannot be achieved alone.” Regarding Friday’s match, he also expects a very difficult challenge: “We expect a very tough match against a team that is desperately trying to move away from the bottom of the table. This can be a decisive match: if we win it, we can take a big step toward staying in the top division.” Pap also highlighted the importance of the supporters: “We would like as many supporters as possible to be with us, because we will need them very much in this important match.”

The match scheduled for round six of the Superliga play-out will take place on Friday at 17:30 at the Municipal Stadium in Sibiu, and, as usual, it will be broadcast by the Digisport 1 and Prima Sport 1 television channels. There is both an opportunity and a real need for the team to be supported on site as well, as the club is organizing a bus for supporters, for which registration can be made with Tamás László Egér at the phone number 0743-314 314.