President's fury: FCSB chief fires several team stars after Europa League exit
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
The flamboyant president of Romanian club FCSB, Gigi Becali, has once again lived up to his reputation as one of the toughest leaders in European football.
Details: Immediately after a 1-1 draw against Turkish side Fenerbahce, which marked the team's elimination from the Europa League, Becali announced the immediate departure of three key players. Among those shown the door were Dennis Politic and the club's former brightest prospect, Octavian Popescu.
"I realized I can't keep players who bring nothing to the team," Becali declared.
The president didn't mince his words when commenting on his squad's performance. Popescu, in particular, came under fire, with the owner claiming the youngster has been regressing for over a year. Becali stated that nothing is working on the pitch: neither attempts to integrate Politic into the game nor hopes for Popescu to rediscover his form have paid off.
The main reason behind this drastic move was Becali's disappointment in the current squad's competitiveness on the European stage.
"We need players who are better not just for the domestic league, but for Europe as well — that's the only way to survive. It's impossible to stay competitive with these footballers. They have to be strong!" the president stressed.
The club will now have to urgently look for replacements for the dismissed players.
Reminder: The results of the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 play-off draw have been announced.
