On Saturday, at 11.00 a.m., Politehnica Timisoara meets Metaloglobus Bucharest in the 14th round of League 2 at the “Știința” arena. Before this game, the white-violet are in last place, with eight points, while our guests are ranked 19th, with 10 points.

“We have one more game, a game against Metaloglobus, which we will have to win. I want to take a bit of pressure off the team because the team already has a rhythm, in the last month the technical team has taken care of this tone, they are motivated and certainly in the next game this will be demonstrated. I want to believe that it will be our first win in a long time and we will start a string of victories that all supporters are waiting for. I would also like to say to the supporters: let them be supporters, let them be with the team, as they have shown it most of the time, and let’s forget those situations where players are offended, are apostrophized in all sorts of ways, because those players, at the moment, are motivated and give their all on the pitch, meaning their maximum capacity, physical, technical, therefore I don’t think the supporters can reproach anything anymore. When you see indolence, a hostile attitude towards the club, towards the supporters, towards the environment on the pitch, yes, you can give them certain messages, but messages of common sense – messages that wake them up to reality. But, at the moment, this is not the case. This is our value, we take it on board, we’re not looking for reasons now, why we’re in this situation… this coaching staff has been able to give them that tone and the fact of being present, being on the pitch, being connected to the game. So we will expect much better results from all these players…”, said Ovidiu Cuc, Politehnica’s executive president.

The club’s two latest additions, defender Angelos Karatasios and striker Fatjon Celani will be eligible from this game. “We still have two players that Mr. Professor has integrated into the team, we hope they will give us an extra and with all these advantages we will upset the Metaloglobus team,” Cuc said.

“The three points are vital, we said not to put so much pressure on the players, let them do their job, as they have shown they can do in the last four games. The last defeat, it wasn’t a very good match. We had one chance, we could have won the match, I think a draw was honourable for the match we saw… In the other matches the team showed a very positive attitude, a very positive position”, concluded the president of the white-violet team.

“We meet Metaloglobus, a team that at the beginning of the championship had the goal of placing in the play-offs, as proof they brought players for this goal in the summer. They had some negative results at the beginning of the championship, in the last matches they are in a return of form and have tied victories, they are on an upward trend and probably with a good morale. They are a team with experienced players, very good League 2 players, players who have been playing together for many years. A close-knit team. And it will be a very difficult match. We hope to win this match. The players to react after the goal conceded in the 90+1 minute by Ripensia. Like it or not it also affects you emotionally when they get a goal in the last phases of the match. There was also that pressure, a match between two fellow countrywomen, and it always crosses the boundaries of fair play and, I know, language. But I tried to mentally lift them up and to wipe the slate clean of their last performance and give it their all in the match against Metaloglobus,” said Octavian Benga, head coach of Politehnica.

In addition to the late goal, the players were also affected by the supporters’ reproaches. “We had several assignments. We had discussions, clearly, about these two things, we tried to bring them back up, because they were very affected. And by the goal conceded and by, I know, the accusations made. It’s not easy for them either. And we in the last few games we’ve had an increase. If it ended in a draw, it was the fourth, but it wasn’t a defeat, we were also on an upward trend, that goal came like a hammer – I’m trying to get them back up and I hope and I think I’ve succeeded. We’ll see on Saturday. That’s why I’m also appealing to the people who come to the game – the supporters – the real supporters, to support the team. We have to go all the way. This is also the club’s motto: Let’s not give up, winners never give up! We have to fight to the end, even if the situation is not rosy,” Tavi Benga stressed.

The coach of the white-violet team asks for more respect for Politehnica Timisoara: “The situation is not ok in many ways. We try not to complain, to move on, we try to find solutions, things to get us out of the negativity that surrounds us. Lately I’ve been wondering and so, from around us, not necessarily from within the club or our lot. A lot of people don’t really understand what the Poli brand means, and it’s been pushed aside, it’s a strange thing. Because Poli is a very important name and I think it deserves more respect, both locally and nationally. I’m talking specifically about the fact that Poli should be helped, by the people of the city, because Poli needs a lot of things. Maybe also from the country, because it is a flagship team, with a name in Romanian football and it should be respected. From many points of view – of the sports facilities. And refereeing. I don’t think we’ve ever asked to be helped by referees, I understand mistakes, but it shouldn’t be in a continued form. Often the attitude and manner is clear and it’s a shame! I repeat, I understand mistakes, but there are many simple phases and, for example, in the match with Slobozia there were mistakes on both sides. But you can’t understand the manner. When it’s only in a certain way or you try stuff.. it happens once, but all the time we are so harassed or tormented or we are not allowed to stand up. So, an observation. And in the Ripensia game, the last 15 minutes – not necessarily because of these things – but Ripensia were also brought on us like that, with free kicks, with fouls. In the phase before the goal there was a foul on our player in possession and it wasn’t given. Clear foul.”

From our team’s squad, compared to the last match, Cosmin Bîrnoi is uncertain after being stepped on his foot in the match against Ripensia.

“I think it’s a difficult moment for everyone. We work every day to be better and we work to win. It’s time to get points and I’m sure if we start getting points, our mental state can change and we just need a win. I think the level is good in League 2, the intensity is good and the physical side, I’ve seen a lot of very tall centre-backs and you can feel the difference. I played in Serie C Italy and, yes, maybe the quality is better there, but the intensity, the physical side, I feel it, there’s a difference here, it’s more physical in Romania, but I think it’s a good level. We play better every time, to win the game, that’s the first important thing for us. I think we have changed mentally lately and we didn’t deserve, for example last Saturday, that result. On the pitch we ran, we fought, we had the opportunity to score and score points, but at this moment maybe we are a bit unlucky and we just have to work and win,” said Italian fullback Gabriele Germinio.

“The three points are vital, we said not to put so much pressure on the players, let them do their job, as they have shown they can do in the last four games. The last defeat, it wasn’t a very good game. We had only one chance, we could have won the match, I think a draw was honourable for the match we saw… In the other matches the team showed a very positive attitude, a very positive position”, Ovidiu Cuc, executive president of Politehnica Timișoara.

“I want to be better for the team, to have an attitude, I’m not nervous (on the pitch), I just want to give more strength to my teammates and win together. Last time, in the last ten minutes, the referee told me that I simulated in my own box, I’ve never encountered something like that, then he whistled a foul because Alex touched the ball with his hand… They make a mistake, we make mistakes, it’s possible in football…”, Gabriele Germinio, Politehnica Timișoara defender.