FC Rapid București

Superbet Arena-Giulești

Location	18 Giulești Way, Giulești, Bucharest Bucharest, Romania
Owner	CS Rapid București
Capacity	14,047
Surface	Grass
Construction
Broke ground	26 February 2019
Opened	26 March 2022
Architect	Construcții Erbașu

The history of Giulești-Valentin Stănescu Stadium begins in 1934; on 31 March, CFR began the construction of a field on the Giulești Road. The field would have a width of 65 m and a length of 105 m.

At first, the mayor of Bucharest did not want to authorize the construction of the first stadium, because it did not fit in the systematization of the capital. Eventually, authorization was given; and in April 1936 it was estimated that the stadium would be ready in September. The construction did begin in that year but it lasted more than two. The chief architect was Gheorghe Dumitrescu.

The stadium was inaugurated on 10 June 1939. At the time, it was the most modern stadium in Romania, a smaller replica of

The construction of the north stands was finished in the mid-1990s, with the capacity increased to 19,100 seats. In 2003, the pitch was changed and was considered to be the best in Romania at the time. Floodlights were installed in the summer of 2000. The stadium got the name of "Valentin Stănescu" in 2001, in respect of the manager who won the second championship for Rapid, but it is still commonly known as "

Located in the north-western side of Bucharest, in the Bucharest Noi district, the ProRapid sports center was purchased by the then owner George Copos at the request of Mircea Lucescu, the coach who won the second championship, and was inaugurated in 1998. Initially, the complex had four football fields and a modern training facility. But, over the years, the structure has deteriorated due to the carelessness of the owners. Still, at the end of the 90s, "Pro Rapid" was considered the most modern training base in the country.

The facility spans five hectares and includes several playgrounds, three tennis courts, and an indoor swimming pool. There is a building where the players used to train. The facility is surrounded by Lake Străulesti, around which several buildings are distributed: the second building in order of size houses the living accommodations for the players on the first floor, medical rooms on the ground floor (including physiotherapy and rehabilitation), changing rooms (for players and coach), and a gym. The accommodation for the players of the youth teams is located in a building that includes a bar and a restaurant. In June 2016, the company SC FC Rapid SA was declared bankrupt by the Bucharest Court and the ProRapid base entered a period of continuous deterioration. At the moment, the football team is training at the Coresi training base.

Support

Rapid București is, according to a 2013 survey, the third-most supported club in Romania and the second in the Bucharest metropolitan area, around 20% of football lovers in the city being supporters of Rapid.^[41] A unique organization in the country is the "Aristocratic Club of Rapid", which was founded in 2000. Its members include well-known artists, who aim to defend the history of Rapid and maintain its traditions.^[42][43]

However, at the beginning, being the railway club, drew its supporters mostly from people linked with the workers. The first waves of new fans came at the beginning of the 1930s, when Rapid's legendary golden team won the hearts of many people delighted by their spectacular play and the consecutive wins of the Romanian Cup between 1935 and 1942 .

In 1967, actor Mihai Ioan organised and taught the supporters how to sing chants, thus becoming the first leader of the gallery in the club's history.^[18][44] Currently, Rapid ultras are represented by Peluza Nord and also formerly by Tribuna II (t2 Rapid). Until 2002, Rapid Bucharest had a head of the gallery who stood at the head of the fans for 32 years, Constantin Mincea, Geamgiul. He is known for chanting against the communist party during Romania's communist regime, Rapid's fans had some chants that targeted the Ceaușescu family, the Romanian Communist Party (PCR), and clubs they considered as being protected by the regime, such as Steaua București, Dinamo București, Victoria București, Olt Scornicești, and Flacăra Moreni.^[45] Rapid fans were the first in Romania to support the ultras movement in the 1980s, but the first ultras groups were founded in 1998, named as Official Hooligans, Bombardierii, and Ultras Unione. Later, others appeared such as: Maniacs, Brigada 921, Grant Ultras 06, Radicals, Torcida Visinie, Chicos del Infierno (CDI) 2005, Ultra' Stil, Legiunea Chitila, Devil's Gate, Granata Girls, SVRB, Colletivo, RHV, Original, Capitali, Legione Titan, and there were also groups in the provinces, in cities such as: Iași, Pașcani, Piatra Neamț, Zalău, and Târgu Mureș. In 2007, the ultras group, Pirații, moved to the second stands of the stadium, following divergences with the leader of the Peluza Nord. They were followed by other brigades from the Peluza Nord.

t2 Rapid (Piratii, CDI, Ultra' Stil) does not have a leader, distinguishing it from the other group. Over time there have been many conflicts between the two factions, and as a result, the members of Tribuna II groups left definitely, founding a new team, ACS Rapid-Frumosii Nebuni ai Giulestiului.

Another bitter rival of Rapid is Petrolul Ploiești, which was previously based in the capital and with which it contests the Primus Derby, the oldest football derby in Romania. This is a fierce one where the galleries fight in increasingly beautiful choreographies and push their favorites. The first episode of the Petrolul-Rapid rivalry was in the 1965-66 season, Petrolul and Rapid fought for the title of Romanian champion, and Prahoven won. The team trained at that time by Constantin Cernăianu prevailed over the rival and won the last championship title in the history of the club. A year later, Rapid got revenge and won the first title, after a draw in Ploiesti. In the battle with Dinamo for the first place, the Giuleșteni needed a point in the match with Petrolul in the last stage. Rică Răducanu and his colleagues got the equaliser, score 0-0, and the Rapid supporters returned on foot from Ploiesti, as they had promised before the match.

Among the thousands of fans was Ioana Radu, the well-known popular music singer and a big fan of the rapidists. At the end of the

Rapid had other Bucharest rivals, such as

Ownership and finances

Rapid is a joint-stock company since 1992. The property is divided as follows: 50% is attributed to Victor Angelescu and Dan Sucu, and the remaining 3% belongs to Academia Rapid Bucharest 1923. After a first bankruptcy, FC Rapid could no longer register new contracts, so they could not build a team to enter the 2016–17 season. Finally, on 14 December 2016, Rapid was officially declared bankrupt after half a season of inactivity. Since 1992, the giulestea club was led by the businessman George Copos, who then led the club to two championships in 2013. After his conviction in the Transfer File, he sold the club to Nicolae Cristescu, who led the club only 3 years, it then being bought by Valerii Moraru.

On 12 June 2018, after 18 auctions during which the price of the Rapid brand dropped by approximately 3 million euros, Academia Rapid bought the Rapid Bucharest brand, officially becoming the successor of the original club. The transaction was for the sum of €406,800, thus giving legitimacy to the new entity, although it had already been accepted by most of the club's supporters and legends as the club's successor. On 26 July 2018 Victor Angelescu bought approximately 40% of the club's shares and later in 2022, he acquired the majority of the shares, becoming the majority shareholder of the Giulestean club. On 24 May 2022 businessman Dan Sucu purchased 50% of the club's shares.

Statistics and records

In its history, the club has participated 69 seasons in Liga I and 15 seasons in Liga II: these statistics place it in third place for number of participations in Liga I, after Dinamo Bucuresti and FCSB .

Rapid has played in 88 editions of the Romanian Cup, the first time in 1933–34, winning 13 editions, while in the Romanian Supercup they have had twelve appearances, the first in 1998, the last in 2007. European competitions involve participation in 95 European cup matches, in 4 competitions over 22 seasons. The club has won the Romanian Cup 13 times and have played in 6 finals of this event; they also triumphed in four of the six Romanian Supercup matches in which they participated. In terms of European cups, Giulestenii triumphed in the Balkan Cup in 1964 and in the European Railway Championship in 1968 and played in the final of the European Railway Championship in 1961 and 1971.

Since the establishment of the championship, the team finished first three times, second 14 times, obtaining the worst ranking in the 1973-74 championship with a final 16th place, from which it obtained relegation to the second division of Romania. The Cherry Eagles finished Division A with the best offense in the tournament on many occasions and with the best defense six times.

Between 1990 and 2012 Rapid achieved the most important results in the club's recent history, winning two league titles and advancing in European cups. The most capped player for the team is Nae Stanciu who played for 12 years. Furthermore, Ion Ionescu is the team's top scorer with 107 goals. The most seasons as team captain was Dumitru Macri, who was captain for 14 years, when he played 221 matches. Ilie Greavu is the second-most selected player, with 294 games for Rapid, followed by Constantin Năsturescu, who played 288 games for Giulesti. Daniel Pancu is the club's second top scorer with 94 goals in 265 games, followed by Sandu Neagu who scored 92 goals. n total, 88 coaches have led Rapid.

The first coach was Marin Himer, who coached the team from 1923 to 1925, while the longest serving Rapid coach was Valentin Stanescu, who remained in charge of the team for five seasons. With Valentin Stănescu he won the first championship in 1967, and was followed by Mircea Lucescu who won the championship in 1999 and with Mircea Rednic the championship in 2003.

Rapid's most successful coach is

As Rapid is currently one of the most popular football team in Romania, a good number of musicians, TV, and film directors have been inspired from ideas linked to the Giulesti-based club. Popular references, however, appeared only after the Romanian Revolution, as, before, mass-media programmes were mostly being controlled by the communist regime. The Prima TV comedy show Trăsniții in one episode, showed the Pupaza character in the role of a Rapid supporter. Also, in 2022 the series on Pro TV Las Fierbinti had some characters as rapid supporters

Several other examples from music can be attributed as Rapid-related. Apart from club anthems played throughout time by Adrian Păunescu. Rapid has a lot of supporters, many of whom are celebrities in Romania: for example Fărâmită Lambru, Maria Tanase, Mihai Bendeac, Dan Grigore, Horia Brenciu, Mircea Geoană, Ion Iliescu, and Nicolae Vacaroiu.

The book Glasul roților de tren by Ioan Chirilă is one of the most famous books about sports in Romania . This book has become a bible for rapidist supporters

Honours

Domestic

Leagues

• Liga I
  • Winners (3): 1966–67, 1998–99, 2002–03
  • Runners-up (14): 1936–37, 1937–38, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1948–49, 1950, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2005–06
• Liga II
  • Winners (6): 1952, 1955, 1974–75, 1982–83, 1989–90, 2015–16
  • Runners-up (4): 1979–80, 1981–82, 2013–14, 2020–21
• Liga III
  • Winners (1): 2018–19
• Liga IV – Bucharest
  • Winners (1):
    2017–18
• Liga V – Bucharest (as Mișcarea Feroviară CFR)
  • Winners (1): 2016–17

Cups

• Cupa României
  • Winners (13):
    2006–07
  • Runners-up (6):
    1998–99, 2011–12
• Supercupa României
  • Winners (4): 1999, 2002, 2003, 2007
  • Runners-up (2): 1998, 2006
• Cupa României – Bucharest
  • Winners (1): 2017–18
• Cupa Ligii
  • Winners (1): 1994 (Friendly)^[50][51]
• Cupa Basarabiei
  • Winners (1): 1942^[52][53]
• Cupa Primăverii
  • Winners (1): 1957

Continental

• Mitropa Cup
  • Finalists (1): 1940^{[note 2]}
• Balkans Cup
  • Winners (2): 1963–64, 1964–66
• European Railways Cup
  • Winners (1): 1968
  • Runners-up (2): 1961, 1971

Players

First-team squad

As of 20 February 2024^[54][55]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 3 DF  ROU Robert Bădescu 4 MF  EST Mattias Käit 5 FW  ROU Octavian Cepoi 6 DF  ROU Paul Iacob (4th captain) 7 FW  NGA Funsho Bamgboye 8 FW  KOS Florent Hasani 9 FW  KOS Albion Rrahmani 11 FW  SRB Borisav Burmaz 14 MF  SVK Jakub Hromada (on loan from Slavia Prague) 15 DF  ROU Iulian Cristea 16 GK  ROU Marian Aioani 19 DF  ROU Răzvan Onea 21 DF  ROU Dragoș Grigore 22 DF  ROU Cristian Săpunaru (Captain) 23 MF  ROU Alexandru Albu (3rd captain)

No. Pos. Nation Player 24 DF  ROU Andrei Borza 25 MF  BEL Xian Emmers 26 MF  ROU Răzvan Oaidă 27 MF  ROU Claudiu Petrila 29 MF  ROU Gabriel Gheorghe 47 DF  GER Christopher Braun 70 MF  ROU Eduard Dănilă 77 MF  KOS Ermal Krasniqi 80 MF  ROU Cătălin Cîrjan (on loan from Arsenal) 88 MF  CRO Damjan Đoković 90 GK  ROU Virgil Drăghia (Vice-captain) 91 FW  ROU Omar El Sawy 96 MF  FRA Jayson Papeau 99 GK  ROU Bogdan Ungureanu

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  ROU Codruț Sandu (to Clinceni) 5 DF  ROU Cristian Ignat (to Mioveni) 17 MF  ROU Ștefan Pănoiu (to Universitatea Cluj) 30 FW  ROU Alexandru Stan (to Mioveni) 93 FW  CMR Kévin Soni (to Hapoel Jerusalem) — MF  ROU Rareș Stanciu (to Tunari) — MF  ROU Antonio Bradu (to Corvinul Hunedoara)

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  ROU Andi Neaga (to CSM Alexandria) — MF  ROU Claudiu Micovschi (to UTA Arad) — MF  ROU Alexandru Crivac (to Progresul Spartac) — MF  ROU Alexandru Gheorghe (to Metaloglobus) — MF  ROU Cătălin Vulturar (to UTA Arad) — MF  ROU Rareș Pop (to UTA Arad)

Club officials

Board of directors Role Name Owners[2] Dan Șucu (80%) Victor Angelescu (20%) President Daniel Niculae Executive President Mădălina Neață Sporting director Sorin Boiangiu Financial Director Marinela Enache Youth Center Director Vasile Maftei Team Manager Florentin Ion Delegate Ionuț Voicu Head of Scouting Daniel Sandu Press Officer Lucian Ionescu Security Director Adrian Olariu Marketing Director Daniel Carciug Social Media Director Alex Paraschiv Secretary Luiza Goiciu Last updated: 19 January 2024 Source:[56]

Current technical staff Role Name Head coach Bogdan Lobonț Assistant coach Adrian Iencsi Goalkeeping coach Mihai Toader Fitness coach Roberto Barruero Video analyst Ciprian Niță Club doctor Virgiliu Hudici Physiotherapists Dan Borcea Alexandru Dumici Adrian Matei Tudor Condrea Masseur Marius Dogaru Storemen Adrian Tărchilă Cornel Mateiași Last updated: 16 April 2024 Source:[57]

League history

• As CS Mișcarea CFR București.

Notable former players

The footballers enlisted below have had international cap(s) for their respective countries at junior and/or senior level and/or more than 100 caps for FC Rapid București.

Notable former managers

References

Notes

Citations

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to FC Rapid București.

• Official website (in Romanian)
• FC Rapid București on
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• FC Rapid București on
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• Club profile on UEFA's official website
• Club profile on LPF's official website (in Romanian)