Photo: A sequence from the match, with Giuchici (in white), the captain and Polist striker, next to opposing defenders Iovan and Bumbescu

Exactly four decades ago, on a Thursday, May 23, 1985, Politehnica Timișoara met Steaua in the 31st round of the Diviziei A (below, the chronicle from the newspaper “Sportul”). The score was 1-1 (1-1-1), with goals scored by Bolba (28) and Pițurcă (45), respectively. Ion Dumitru was the coach and player-player of the “alb-violeți”, and the players in the squad included Doru Moise, Relu Șunda, Iosif Rotariu, “Mima” Giuchici and the late Adi Manea.

There were 50.000 spectators on “May 1st”!

At the end of the season, Poli was ranked 9th (out of 18 teams) and the servicemen won the title (plus the Romanian Cup). Thus, the team from the capital qualified for the next season’s European Champions Cup, a competition that, quite surprisingly, they would win! In the final in Seville, Steaua fielded eight of the starting line-up from the match against Poli to which I referred!