Filipe Coelho expects a demanding start to the new SuperLiga season when Universitatea Craiova meet UTA Arad on Saturday at 21:15, with the head coach underlining that his team wants to begin with all three points. It is a fixture that carries extra edge because UTA were the only side Craiova did not beat last season.
That record says plenty about the challenge ahead. Last season, Universitatea Craiova drew 3-3 in Arad after leading 3-0, then lost 2-1 in Bănie, so Coelho knows this is not an opening game to treat lightly. On top of that, Craiova have already played three official matches this season, so they arrive with rhythm but also with the demands of a packed week behind them.
Coelho: a difficult match, but the focus is on Craiova
Speaking before the game, Coelho made it clear that he sees both the opposition and his own team’s development as central to the occasion.
“Ne așteaptă un meci foarte dificil. Știm că sezonul trecut am obținut un egal și o înfrângere în fața lor, nu am câștigat niciun meci. Au rămas cu același antrenor, același stil de joc. Va fi un meci dificil. Vom face tot posibilul pentru a începe sezonul cât mai bine pentru a obține primele trei puncte,” he said.
That is the sort of warning that fits an opener like this. Craiova have their own momentum, but UTA’s familiarity and continuity mean there is little room for complacency. Coelho’s point about the visitors keeping the same coach and same style suggests a team he expects to be organised and consistent from the first whistle.
A busy week, but no excuses
Craiova’s week has already been a productive one. They won the Romanian Super Cup and qualified for the second preliminary round of the Champions League, while also taking care of business in a sequence of three official matches that included wins over ML Vitebsk by 4-1 and 1-0, plus a 1-1 draw with U Cluj before winning 5-3 on penalties.
Coelho said the squad is in good condition physically and mentally after that run. “Suntem într-un proces de dezvoltare. A fost o săptămână grea, cu 3 meciuri grele și multe emoții pozitive. Din fericire, toți jucătorii sunt bine și disponibili să joace. Ne gândim la următorul meci și la cele 3 puncte,” he explained.
He also stressed that last season’s success should not become a distraction. For him, the challenge is to keep the team focused on the process rather than on what has already been won.
Why UTA make this such a useful early test
Coelho’s wider view is that the first match of the campaign can reveal a lot about a team’s readiness. He described it as a proper test against a side that already has three official matches behind them and, in his view, a squad deep enough to field multiple competitive teams.
That is why this opening fixture matters beyond the points. Craiova are coming off a strong stretch, but the real question is whether they can turn recent success into a clean start in the league. Against UTA, who already showed last season that they can trouble them, Coelho knows a complete performance will be needed.
If Craiova manage that, they will launch the season in the best possible way. If they do not, the memory of last season’s two meetings will quickly come back into focus.
