F.C. Universitatea Craiova

History

The football history in the city of Craiova began in the year 1921, when the first teams were

founded: Craiovan Craiova and Rovine Griviţa Craiova.

In the year 1940, the two teams from Craiova merged, resulting in one of the most successful

Romanian football teams in the Interwar period, FC Craiova, which was also the first team from

the city to win the Romanian football championship, in the 1942–43 season. However the title

was not officialized by the Romanian Football Federation, because of World War II.

Finally in 1948, Universitatea Craiova took life at the initiative of a group of students and

professors, a team which latter would become one of the most popular and successful teams from

Romania.

Craiova Maxima

In the 1982–83 season, the team recorded their most notable continental performance in its

history. Under the management of Constantin Oţet and Nicolae Ivan, Universitatea Craiova

reached the semifinals of the UEFA Cup, after defeating some of the best known clubs in

European football, such as AC Fiorentina (runners-up in Italian Serie A), Girondins Bordeaux

(France), and FC Kaiserslautern (Germany). In the first European cup semifinal ever played by a

Romanian club, Universitatea encountered Benfica (Portugal), two times European champions

and three times European Cup finalists. After two draws, the Portuguese side advanced to the

final on aggregate away goals. That generation of players was nicknamed Craiova Maxima and

included Ilie Balaci, Rodion Cămătaru, Costică Ştefănescu, Zoltan Crişan, Ion Geolgău, Aurică

Beldeanu, Costică Donose, Silviu Lung etc.

Universitatea Craiova after 1991

In 1991, Universitatea Craiova won for the last time the Championship and the Romanian Cup,

under Sorin Cârţu as coach. In the following years, Craiova became a middle-table team, with

rather poor performances. At the end of the 2004–05 season they were relegated to the second

football division for the first time in the club's history, returning to the first league after the

following season.

Exclusion from FRF

On 20 July 2011, the club was temporarily excluded by the Romanian Football Federation[2] for

failing to withdraw their dispute with former coach Victor Piţurcă from a civil court, as per

article 57 of the FRF statute which states that the Football Federation solves all the sports

lawsuits.[3] However, the article allows disputes regarding employment contracts to be

adjudicated in civil court.[4] The exclusion decision was approved by the FRF General Assembly

on 14 May 2012.[5] All of the squad players were declared free agents and signed with other

clubs.

An investigation was started by the National Anticorruption Directorate on 22 October 2011,

against the heads of the Romanian Professional Football League and of the Football Federation,

as well as against the Executive Committee members of the FRF, on charges of official

misconduct in the case of the exclusion.[6][7] The Football Federation, the Professional Football

League, and members of the Executive Committee reportedly had some of their properties seized

by the National Anticorruption Directorate.[8] On 14 May 2012, the Executive Committee

validated the temporary exclusion decision taken on 20 July 2011.[9]

Temporary re-affiliation

On 22 June 2012, the Bucharest Court of Appeal ruled that the exclusion of Universitatea

Craiova from FRF was illegal.[10] On 15 November 2012, the Court ruled that the validation

decision was also illegal.[9] Although the club was invited to sign up in the Liga II for the 2012–

13 season,[11] the owner of the club refused this invitation.[12]

On 2 March 2013, the club announced that it filed a request to rejoin the competitions, starting

from the 2013–14 season.[13] It will play in Liga II. Universitatea Craiova officially rejoined the

competition on 27 August 2013, when defeated SCM Argeşul Piteşti in the fourth round of the

Romanian Cup, qualifying to the fifth round of the competition.

Final disaffiliation

In April 2014 the High Court of Cassation and Justice confirmed that the Romanian Football

Federation "acted in accordance with regulations and statutes in force when members voted to

exclude the club".[14]

Rivalries

FC Universitatea Craiova's main rival is FC Dinamo București. This rivalry started in the

seventies, when Dinamo denied Universitatea Craiova's first title in 1973. The rivalry was

amplified in 2002 and 2005 when Dinamo transferred an important group of players from

Craiova.[citation needed]

Other rivalry of Universitatea Craiova is also with FC Steaua București.