Polytechnic’s senior junior squads officially begin the 2022-23 season later this week. The Under-18s make their debut on this occasion in the Youth League – the new competition replacing the U19 Elite League. The teams of our academy’s next two age groups, the Under 17 and Under 16, will also kick off in the top leagues of their generations.

The Youth League is a competition for U18 juniors (born from 2005 onwards), with the possibility of using three U21 players (born 2000).

“In the Youth League, the goal is for the club’s most valuable juniors to play good matches, to get the attention of the first team. And now, in the first round, I want players who play less or don’t play for the first team on Saturday to come. I expect them and I want them to have a strong competition where they can develop and establish themselves to play at senior level. We have quite a few players in the first team from the 2004 generation, like Raul Țurcaș, Daniel Olariu or Dan Pureca, and Mada, even from 2005, has made the step. That’s what we are interested in, that these players progress in this competition, which is strong, they stand out first – players who have the potential to grow, to develop”, said Sorin Brîndescu, Politehnica U18 coach and also coordinator of the Politehnica Academy.

The first round of the new championship already comes with a challenge. Our youngsters will play in the stronghold of the U19 Elite League champion club – FK Csikszereda. “We don’t consider it a special match. Indeed, Csikszereda is a well-organized club. They were champions last season. But last year we actually won at their place in the championship, we played a good game. Generations have changed this year, they are favourites, but we aim to improve the players individually, even if we are not so good as a team. I believe we will face the competition and achieve our goals”, concluded Brîndescu.

The match AFK Csikszereda Miercurea Ciuc – Politehnica Timisoara, from the first round of the Youth League, will be played on Sunday, August 21, at 12.00, at the Sport-Park Arena in Miercurea Ciuc. Full programme – HERE.

Politehnica U18 (coach Sorin Brîndescu)

Goalkeepers: Alexandru Urdes (2005), Florin Bonchis (2005);

Full-backs: Paul Bălănescu (2004), Armin Mada (2005), Darius Chițu (2005), Cristian Archindeanu (2005), Miklos Lengyel (2004), Adin Avramescu (2005), Andrei Manea (2005), Luca Cizmașiu (2005), Raul Rădulea (2005), David Cotu (2005);

Midfielders: Raul Puskas (2004), Fabian Marincu (2005), Andrei Popeci (2005), Eric Adam (2007), Patrick Paleacu (2006), Mario Oprea (2005);

Forwards: David Balaci (2005), Ashraf Kanadil (2005), Claudiu Savianu (2006), Albert Pop (2005), Alexandru Pentea (2005).

In the U17 Elite League, Politehnica will be mostly represented by the 2006 generation, coached by Cristi Gălan, and who qualified for the play-offs in last season’s U16 Elite League. The programme and format is identical to that of the Youth League. At the end of the regular season, the top 6 will play in the play-off (round-robin), and places 7-12 will play in the play-out (round-robin).

“It’s a stronger series this season. We also have an away trip to Craiova, we play away to U Cluj and CFR Cluj. We have more away games than home games. Craiova was the champion. In the first leg it’s a long away game, very tough away game. They (n.r. FK Csikszereda) brought all their players from the country this year that they identified some time ago, including us they took one of them. They must have a very good team. I know they played a tournament with Osijek, Dunajska Streda and won it. I’ve seen Osijek and if they won a tournament they played in, they must have been very good. We played Osijek this year in a tournament in Serbia and they are a very good team. So they probably have a very very good team as well. We’re going to have a very tough game ahead of us, plus some of our guys will probably play in the bigger group as well. It’s maybe a year of sacrifice, we’ll see, that’s what we hope, to grow individually. Basically, I don’t know how much play-off or play-out matters, but it matters a lot to develop the juniors”, said Cristian Gălan, coach of Politehnica U17.

The match AFK Csikszereda Miercurea Ciuc – Politehnica Timisoara, from the first round of the U17 Elite League, will be played on Sunday, August 21, at 2 pm, at the Sport-Park Arena in Miercurea Ciuc. Full programme – HERE.

Politehnica U17 (coach Cristian Gălan)

Goalkeepers: Mario Balica (2006), Mihai Traia (2007), Albert Păsulea (2007);

Full-backs: Patrick Vela (2006), Ștefan Vladu (2006), Denis Tătaru (2006), Mihai Leoveanu (2006), Aurel Vlaicu (2006), Ovidiu Imbroane (2006);

Midfielders: Alex Chelariu (2006), Eduard Tudor (2006), Dragoș Ștate (2006), Dragoș Macovei (2006), David Roșca (2006), Sebastian Avramescu (2006), Denis Boariu (2006), Tomasso Hus (2006), Răzvan Erceanu (2006);

Forwards: Kevin Antal (2006), Tudor Semenciuc (2006).

Challenge also for the 2021-22 U15 semi-finalists

Last season’s protagonist in the U15 Elite League, where they came close to qualifying for the final tournament, the 2007 generation of Politehnica, coached by former international Paul Codrea, is now preparing for a strong championship in Series 4 of the U16 Elite League.

The Blue and Whites will make their 2022-23 home debut on Saturday against ACB Ineu. At least the first home matches of Politehnica U16 will be played at the arena of CS Giroc-Chișoda, Politehnica’s newest partner.

“Our objective is to finish in the top six, qualify for the play-offs and accumulate as many points as possible. We don’t know the competition, we don’t know the teams, they are new teams. We will also play three games in Cluj, with teams from there, we will play Satu Mare, which we have never met before. It will be interesting to see how we do against other opponents and with longer trips. Basically it’s the first year with such distances. Of course we can’t wait for the championship to start and we want to start well, with a win if possible. It’s good that we are playing in Giroc, we play on grass, we have a good pitch, the people are super nice, they help us and give us everything they have and we thank them for that!”, said Paul Codrea, Politehnica U16 coach.

The match Politehnica Timisoara – ACB Ineu, from the first round of the U16 Elite League, will be played on Saturday, August 20, at 12.00, at the “Comunal” stadium in Giroc. Full programme – HERE.

Politehnica U16 (coach Paul Codrea)

Goalkeepers: Alex Novak (2008), Mihai Enasescu (2007);

Defenders: Darius Fotoniu (2007), Luca Chiș (2007), Alex Cercel (2007), Răzvan Goia (2007), David Nagy (2007), Rareș Laza (2007), Marco Lazăr (2007), Marco Lazăr (2007), Răzvan Diaconu (2007), Rareș Sârbu (2007);

Midfielders: Eric Adam (2007), Titu Bojin (2007), Medard Kulcsar (2007), Alex Matei (2008), Bogdan Damian (2007), Fabian Roșu (2007), Andrei Mircea (2007), Bogdan Șteta (2007), Angelo Radu (2008), Laurențiu Axinia (2007);

Forwards: Bogdan Bratu (2007), Călin Fazekaș (2007).