Romania continues to be a haven for Portuguese players

Over 30 Portuguese plying trade in Eastern country

Despite some departures in the January transfer window, over 30 Portuguese players remained in the squads of Romanian teams at the beginning of the second half of the 2007/08 season.

The sacking of Joaquim Teixeira, the now ex-coach of Pandurii Targu Jiu, triggered a spate of players exiting from the club struggling to avoid relegation.

Mario Felgueiras rescinded his contract even before making his debut in Liga I, while the entire Portuguese coaching staff (Teixeira, Nombrerosa & Castro) left the team after only two rounds, both matches being lost. Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt’s new signing Figueiredo also left the club without kicking a ball in anger.


Related: Romania fast becoming “El Dorado” for Portuguese players
Feature: Antonio Semedo tells of the sensational rise of Cluj
Related: Joaquim Teixeira relieved of duties by Pandurii


CFR Cluj, the leaders of Romanian top flight, did not purchase any other Portuguese players in the January transfer window. On the contrary, the club loaned Pedro Oliveira and Amoreirinha to UTA Arad, also maintaining Vitinha at second division team CS Otopeni.

But the Transylvanian club retain a remarkable nine Portuguese players on their books as they strive for a historic first championship triumph.

The current Portuguese players and coaches in Romania are as follows:

Top flight

CFR Cluj:
Nuno Claro, Ricardo Cadu, Fredy, Tony, Dani, Andre Leao, Manuel Jose, Antonio Semedo

Rapid Bucharest:
Joao Paulo, Vasco Matos

Poli Timisoara:
Carlos Milhazes

FC Vaslui:
Hugo Luz

Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt:
Hugo Evora, Bruno Fernandes

Farul Constanta:
Mala, Gaston Mendy, Francisco Jose Castro (Chico)

UTA Arad:
Pedro Oliveira, Bruno Simao, Edson, Amoreirinha

Pandurii Targu Jiu:
Adriano Moreiro, Joao Pedro Ribeiro (Mingote), Carlos Pintassilgo, Marco Soares

Second Division:

FC Brasov:
Paulo Adriano

CS Otopeni:
Bruno Costa, Jose Pedro, Vitinha

Petrolul Ploiesti:
Ricardo Jorge

FC Drobeta Turnu Severin:
Hugo Moutinho