Adrian Mutu: “Not Alibec is the danger, but the Lighthouse”!

The coach of Rapid Bucharest, Adrian Mutu, declared, on Wednesday, in a press conference, that Friday’s match with Farul Constanţa is a derby of the moment and that his team will try to reduce the difference in points against the leader of the Superliga Football.

I think that the level of difficulty of this match can no longer be questioned. We are waiting for a match with the team in first place, a complicated match. That is why we are extremely motivated and eager to play this match. We couldn’t wait for Friday to come and play. We try to prove that we are a good team in every match, the next matches with the best teams will give us some answers, to be able to prepare the team for our goal. This match with Farul is an extremely important one, because we want to see where we are, we want to stay up there and reduce the distance between us and them, which is now five points. They are the fall champions,” said Mutu.

“There are matches that I honestly look forward to, that’s why I started coaching, they are great matches for the public as well, they are pleasant and spectacular. It is a derby of the present, even if the rivalry between Rapid and Farul does not compare to the rivalry between other teams. At the moment we are the teams in the first two places, even if CFR has two games less and it is hard to believe that they will not collect points. We want to shorten the distance between us and them, and Giulesti will face a very difficult match. It will be sold-out, all our supporters expect a solid match from us. They will probably try to control the game, as they always do, but we are Rapid and we are waiting for them to see if they can’, Adrian Mutu said.

Regarding the “duel” with Gheorghe Hagi, Mutu said that only he will have pressure, considering that the Farulu coach is also the team’s patron.

It’s a duel that I also had as a footballer when we were both active. Hagi has been doing a very good job for many years at Farul, he has also won trophies, trained a lot of players, so he is a very good coach. But I think he has an advantage over the rest of us, he has a comfort, because he is both a coach and a boss and he has no pressure. So the pressure is only on me and I will try to cope with it. That won’t stop us from trying to win this game. We will be very motivated, we also send them a message, let’s see which one. I try to do my job as well as possible, we want to prove that we are also capable of doing good things. We come with this rivalry that we had as players, you always want to measure yourself against the best, that’s what happens now. Although fatigue will have its say, I hope we will have a spectacular match’, said Mutu.

The technician of the Giuleşte team believes that Denis Alibec is not the only one who can create problems from the opposing team: ‘Alibec was in a discussion with our president, he was not part of our plans. Now he has regained his form, he is a player that Hagi resuscitated. I don’t think he is the main threat, but the Lighthouse as a team. We are looking for answers for us to see what level we are at, and we will have one of them on Friday’.

Striker Jakub Vojtus expects an extraordinary atmosphere at the Giulesti stadium.

“A beautiful match awaits us for all the supporters, in our stadium where the atmosphere is extraordinary. It will be two teams in good form, I think it will be a game with a higher level than the others in the first league. I’m glad that I scored yesterday (with CSC Dumbrăviţa, in the Romanian Cup), it was a good motivation for me. We’re up there, it’s a shame we’ve lost a few points lately’, said the Slovakian.

Rapid will meet the Farul Constanţa team, on Friday, from 20:30, at the Rapid-Giulesti stadium, in a game within the 15th stage, the last of the Superleague tour.

At this moment, Farul Constanţa occupies first place in the Superliga standings, with 33 points, followed by Rapid (28 points) and CFR Cluj (25 points), this one with two games played less.

Cătălin Donose

Photo – Archive