Adrian Mihalcea is not convinced by Marius Șumudică's latest message about CFR Cluj's objectives. Before UTA Arad vs CFR Cluj, the UTA coach said he does not believe Șumudică truly sees his team as one that cannot fight for the play-off, suggesting the remarks are more of a strategy than a reflection of reality.
The match comes with CFR Cluj sitting in 8th place after 11 rounds and on 16 points, just one point behind Farul Constanța, which occupied 6th place and the final play-off spot. UTA, meanwhile, was in 12th place and four points behind CFR Cluj, so the game carries weight for both sides as the table begins to take shape.
What Șumudică said about CFR Cluj
After CFR Cluj's 1-0 win over FC Argeș at Mioveni, sealed by Kresic's 58th-minute goal, Șumudică described the season as one of transition. He said CFR Cluj did not have what it needed this year to reach the play-off and that his main objective was to avoid relegation and baraj places.
Șumudică also pointed to the fact that he had lost 19 players from last season and said the club had started again from zero. He added that the players deserved credit for accepting significant salary reductions and making sacrifices, calling them heroes for the way they had handled the situation.
Mihalcea pushes back
Mihalcea's response was straightforward. He said he did not think Șumudică had gone to CFR Cluj intending to fight for relegation, as the coach had stated publicly. In his view, the comments were meant to reduce pressure, even if the club's target remained important.
He also argued that the performances themselves tell a different story. Mihalcea pointed to CFR Cluj's recent consistency, including the win over FC Argeș and a close contest with Universitatea Cluj, and said he did not believe anyone inside the club was truly ignoring the play-off race.
His assessment was also tied to the strength of the squad. Mihalcea said he could not call CFR Cluj a weak team and noted that the club has both a large and quality roster.
Why the match matters
The timing of the discussion matters because both clubs still have something to play for. Mihalcea said that reaching the play-off would remove the pressure of the relegation fight, which is also how his own team views the situation. UTA remains in the hunt, but the coach admitted the side has been hit again by medical problems after a good spell of results.
UTA's home date with CFR Cluj now arrives with extra context. CFR Cluj is trying to manage expectations after a win that kept it close to the play-off positions, while Mihalcea is making clear he does not buy the idea that Șumudică is content simply to survive. Before UTA Arad vs CFR Cluj, the table, the comments and the pressure all point to a match with more than three points at stake.
