Politehnica Timisoara played the first two training games of this summer season. The matches against Liebling and Giarmata had a 2013-2014 feel to them. In Liebling the team was greeted at the arena, inaugurated by helicopter in 2020, by two stands full of more and more vocal children, probably supporting their classmates and neighbours in the street, the village team.

To the sounds of the firing horns passing by, Poli won 2-0, on a good but narrow pitch, against a modest opponent who posed no problems for the Timisoara goalkeepers. The match kicked off at 7pm, in rather oppressive heat and with the threat of a thunderstorm in the distance.

Poli played with a first 11 (4-2-3-1 system) composed of:

Goalkeeper: Miklos

Full-backs: Curescu, Samuel Cristea*, Huminic, Taub (captain)

Midfielders: Rotariu, Marincu

Offensive midfielders: Careba*, Pureca, Ehling

Striker: Beniamin Lazăr*

*players on trial

At half-time the line-up was completely changed, apart from the goalkeeper:

Goalkeeper: Miklos

Full-backs: D. Radu, Bocșan (captain), Vlaicu, R. Ciurel

Close midfielders: Olariu, Făgărășanu

Offensive midfielders: Rancov (Poli b. 2004), D. Popa, Mura

Striker: Boariu

In the 61st minute, Balica came in for Miklos

The first goal was scored by Curescu from a penalty in the first half. A penalty also scored by him after a solo run. It’s worth noting that Politehnica’s right back showed a lot of willingness to work hard, making numerous forays. The second goal was scored by David Popa, after a more awkward phase in the hosts’ box, where the fumbled ball reached the edge of the box and David thirstily kicked and scored. That was also the end of the first training match, after this goal the hosts physically broke down and Politehnica’s players were getting ready for the next morning’s match.

No sooner had they got home to rest than the players had to wake up for the Giarmata game. On Saturday at 10am, after a stormy night in Timis County, the pitch at Giarmata was decent, wet, slippery and slightly bumpy. Surely no boulder would have stood straight on the pitch, that’s just it, the players have to get used to it. If the day before it was a heat that required two hydration breaks per half, Saturday morning was a temperature only good for football.

Poli met a gritty team that seemed to be playing for points in the championship, many slides, many tense moments and on the verge of injuries. The most shattered came from the hosts’ coach who was knocked to the ground by one of his own players after getting off balance in a duel with Curescu.

It was a modest first half for Giarmata, who lacked hustle, determination and vision on the pitch. The score at half-time, which was to be the one at the end, was set by David Popa, who converted a penalty taken by Mario Oprea. 1-0 at half-time for Poli, 1-0 at the end.

First 11 (4-3-3 system):

Goalkeeper: Murariu

Full-backs: D. Radu, Bocșan (captain), Huminic, Taub

Midfield: Rotariu, Olariu, M. Oprea

Strikers: Careba*, D. Popa, Mura

“Second 11”:

Goalkeeper: Murariu (Miklos – min 60)

Full-backs: Curescu, S. Cristea*, Vlaicu, D. Radu (captain) – schim

Careba* comes in for Denis, Marincu drops to left-back and receives the armband.

Midfielders: Făgărășanu, Pureca, Marincu

Forwards: B. Lazăr*, Ehling, Rancov

* players on trial

During this training period all players are used, even the suspended ones. All players need to get to know each other, form playing relationships and reach optimal physical condition.

In an interview with Octavian Stăncioiu, Paul Codrea said:

“These were two useful matches, which we needed to be able to complete the squad with which we will enter the training camp. There was some fatigue for the second match, coming about 12 hours after we finished the first one, but they were two matches in which we were able to see all the players well, whether seniors or juniors. From Sunday evening we have a week of training camp, local training camp, with two friendlies against Lipova and UVT, in which I want to see that we are doing better and that the team is starting to homogenize”.