Politehnica Timisoara football team will play on Saturday in the 16th round of the 3rd League, in the first official match of the year. The opponent will be Gloria Lunca Teuz Cermei, and the match will take place at 3 pm at Electrica stadium.

The white-violets have a long list of unavailable players. Captain Bocșan and Pureca are suspended, Marincu will miss out for medical reasons, and Huminic and Careba are long-term injured. In the first leg it was 1-0 to Timisoara.

Poli are in 2nd place in the standings with 30 points and a 36-14 record. FC Bihor is undefeated leader with 37 points, CSC Peciu Nou is in 3rd place, with the same points as Poli, but with a lower record, and Progresul Pecica is in 4th place, the last play-off qualifying place, with 28 points. With three rounds before the end of the regular season, only FC Bihor is mathematically qualified for the play-off, where the last four (teams from Cermei, Periam, Socodor and Ineu) have no chance to reach. Cermeiul is in 7th place with 12 points.

During the winter break, Poli played no less than eight training matches, all at home, but none at the Electrica stadium. Five games were won, two ended in draws and one was lost.