Victor Pițurcă Resolves Issues with Ionuț Radu Determining Who Should Defend for Romania
Victor Pițurcă has made a pivotal decision regarding Romania’s goalkeeping for their upcoming match against Austria. He is confident in Ionuț Radu’s abilities, especially after Radu replaced Horațiu Moldovan in a friendly against Moldova. The decision ultimately rests with head coach Mircea Lucescu.
Pițurcă’s Confidence in Ionuț Radu
Ionuț Radu, currently playing for Celta Vigo, is seen as the frontrunner for the starting goalkeeper position. Lucescu selected three goalkeepers for this match: Radu, Ștefan Târnovanu from FCSB, and Răzvan Sava from Udinese. The absence of Horațiu Moldovan, who performed poorly in the previous tournament against Cyprus, highlights Radu’s growing chance of securing the starting spot.
Impact of Previous Matches
During the recent matches against Cyprus and Canada, Moldova concluded with a disappointing draw for Romania. This has intensified scrutiny on goalkeeping performances. Radu is expected to have a significant role in the decisive clash with Austria.
Final Roster Selection
Mircea Lucescu’s final selection for the match includes 23 players out of the initially designated 29. Some notable exclusions are Cristi Manea, Bogdan Racovițan, Raul Opruț, Cătălin Cîrjan, Alexandru Dobre, and David Miculescu.
Goalkeeper Choices for Romania
With just hours before the match against Austria, the final roster includes:
- Goalkeepers:
- Ionuț Radu (Celta Vigo)
- Ștefan Târnovanu (FCSB)
- Răzvan Sava (Udinese)
- Defenders:
- Andrei Răzvan (Rayo Vallecano)
- Virgil Ghiță (Hannover)
- Midfielders:
- Marius Marin (Pisa)
- Răzvan Marin (AEK Atena)
- Ianis Hagi (Alanyaspor)
- Forwards:
- Louis Munteanu (CFR Cluj)
- Daniel Bârligea (FCSB)
Victor Pițurcă expressed to Emegypt that while Radu is performing consistently, the ultimate decision regarding who starts against Austria will be made by Lucescu. He added, “Mircea knows very well all the goalkeepers eligible to play.” This match poses a significant moment for the Romanian national team as they seek to build momentum in international play.
