FC Politehnica Iași (2010)

Fotbal Club Politehnica Iași (Romanian pronunciation: [po.liˈteh.nikaˈjaʃʲ]), commonly known as Politehnica Iași or simply Poli Iași, is a Romanian professional football club based in the city of Iași, Iași County, that competes in the Liga II.

Named after the Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași, the original team was founded in 1945 and played in blue and white at the Stadionul Emil Alexandrescu until its dissolution in 2010.

Later that year, a new entity was formed under the name ACSMU Politehnica Iași, following a merger between Tricolorul Breaza and Navobi Iași. The new club began directly in the Liga II and is regarded as the historical successor of the original team, buying at auction its colours, history, and records.

Between 2011 and 2016, it was known as CSM Studențesc Iași, before reverting to the name Politehnica Iași.

It debuted in the Liga I during the 2012–13 season and equalled its all-time best finish by placing sixth in the 2017–18 season.

Politehnica Iași currently plays in the Liga II, wearing white and blue kits, and hosts matches at the 11,390-capacity Stadionul Emil Alexandrescu, built in 1960.

History

Foundation and first years (2010–2014)

The original Politehnica Iași was established in April 1945 and folded in 2010 because of unpaid debts. In August that year, Tricolorul Breaza merged with Navobi Iași and formed ACSMU Politehnica Iași. Playing in the Liga II, the club's objective was to return to the first tier of Romanian football.

Ionuț Popa was appointed manager of the newly founded club and Grigore Sichitiu was elected as executive president.

In the summer of 2011, the club was renamed Clubul Sportiv Municipal Studențesc Iași, or simply CSMS Iași. For the second half of the 2011–12 season ex-Romanian international Florin Prunea was brought in as president. On 2 June 2012, after the 4–2 victory against Farul Constanța. the team gained promotion to Liga I, after two years in the second tier of Romanian football.

On 29 August, Liviu Ciobotariu was appointed head coach. The Moldavian team finished the 2012–13 season in 17th place and were relegated to the second division. Even though there were hopes that they would be accepted for the 2013–14 Liga I season, eventually CS Concordia Chiajna secured the last place in the first league, due to the relegation of FC Rapid București for financial reasons.

For the 2013–14 Liga II season, promising young coach Costel Enache was brought in to head a team that retained the services of its young talent, the likes of Alexandru Crețu, Adrian Avrămia and Andrei Hergheligiu.

Return to the top division (2014–present)

After Marius Lăcătuș replaced Enache as manager, Politehnica finished 1st in the 2013–14 Liga II and were promoted back to Liga I. For the 2014–15 season, the club played for their first time in the Cupa Ligii, defeating ASA Târgu Mureș and advancing to the last-16, where they eliminated former Romanian Cup and Liga I winner CFR Cluj.

The 2015–16 Liga I season was one of the best in the short history of Politehnica Iași and in the football history of Iași. After a great campaign, the team finished 7th and qualified for the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League under the command of Italian coach Nicolò Napoli, with a team that relied on experienced players like: Andrei Cristea, Bojan Golubović, Ionuț Voicu and Branko Grahovac. In the second round of the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League, Politehnica encountered Croatian team Hajduk Split and after a 2–2 draw at Iași, they were defeated at Split 1–2, prematurely leaving the competition.

On 22 July 2016, the club announced that it had changed its name, from CSM Studențesc Iași to CSM Politehnica Iași, a name more closely linked to the Iași football tradition and dissolved FC Politehnica Iași (1945).

In June 2017, president Florin Prunea was let go after five years at the helm of Politehnica Iași. Adrian Ambrosie was subsequently appointed to the position. After a number of major departures, with the likes of Lukács Bőle and Daisuke Sato finishing their contracts, the team went into major reconstruction and signed a number of foreign internationals, like Denis Rusu, Kamer Qaka, Luwagga Kizito and Platini. On 24 February 2018, despite a 0–1 loss to defending champions Viitorul Constanța, Poli Iași became the first team from Moldavia to qualify for the Liga I play-off round since its introduction in 2015. To the delight of manager Flavius Stoican, they went on to finish the league in 6th place, thus equalling the best result of predecessor FC Politehnica Iași.

Stadium

Politehnica Iași plays its home matches at the Emil Alexandrescu stadium. It is located in the borough of Copou, near the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, and has a capacity of 11,390 seats.

Support

The biggest ultras groups of Politehnica Iași are Băieții Veseli and Ultras. Both supported FC Politehnica Iași (1945) until dissolution and regard the new team as its successor. They have friendly relationships with Zimbru Chișinău. Settore Ultra used to be another group of ultras but were captured by Oțelul Galați.

Rivalries

Politehnica Iași's main rival is Sporting Vaslui, and matches between these clubs are known as the "Moldovan Derby". The rivalry developed in the 2001–02 Liga III season, when the club from Vaslui was fighting for promotion to the second division together with Poli Iaşi, with the latter winning the championship and earning promotion. The rivalry between the two clubs was, again, fueled by another clash for promotion, this time in the 2003–04 Liga II season, with the whites and blues prevailing yet again. Another recent enemy is Oțelul Galați because of their friendly relations with Dacia Chișinău, as Peluza Nord Iași frequently chants obscenities towards them at nearly every game.

There is another smaller rivalry with FC Botoșani.

Honours

Domestic

Leagues

• Divizia A / Liga I Best finish: 6th in 1965–66, 2017–18
• Divizia B / Liga II Winners (9): 1959–60, 1961–62, 1967–68, 1972–73, 1981–82, 2003–04, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2022–23 Runners-up (4): 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1993–94
• Divizia C / Liga III Winners (1): 2001–02

Players

First-team squad

As of 19 March 2026

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

Other players under contract

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

Out on loan

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

Club officials

Notable former players

The footballers enlisted below have had international cap(s) for their respective countries at junior and/or senior level. Players whose name is listed had a significant number of caps and goals accumulated throughout a certain number of seasons for the club itself as well.

Romania

• Romania Narcis Bădic
• Romania Mihai Bordeianu
• Romania Gabriel Bosoi
• Romania Ionuț Cioinac
• Romania Mădălin Ciucă
• Romania Alexandru Ciucur
• Romania Alexandru Crețu
• Romania Andrei Cristea
• Romania Francisc Cristea
• Romania Cosmin Frăsinescu
• Romania Florin Gardoș
• Romania Vasile Gheorghe
• Romania Andrei Gheorghiță
• Romania Ștefan Grigorie
• Romania Andrei Hergheligiu
• Romania Florin Ilie
• Romania Silviu Lung Jr.
• Romania Ovidiu Mihalache
• Romania Bogdan Mitrea
• Romania Adrian Olah
• Romania Răzvan Onea
• Romania Marius Onofraș
• Romania Ionuț Panțîru
• Romania Florin Plămadă
• Romania Alin Roman
• Romania Laurențiu Rus
• Romania Andrei Sin
• Romania Cătălin Ștefănescu
• Romania Ștefan Târnovanu
• Romania Răzvan Tincu
• Romania Claudiu Tudor
• Romania Alexandru Țigănașu
• Romania Gabriel Vașvari
• Romania Iulian Vladu
• Romania Ionuț Voicu

Albania

• Albania Azdren Llullaku
• Albania Kamer Qaka

Argentina

• Argentina Manuel de Iriondo
• Argentina Julián Marchioni
• Argentina Juan Pablo Passaglia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Bosnia and Herzegovina Bojan Golubović
• Bosnia and Herzegovina Branko Grahovac

Brazil

• Brazil Luis Phelipe
• Brazil Jô Santos
• Brazil Wesley

Cameroon

• Cameroon Samuel Gouet

Cape Verde

• Cape Verde Platini

Central African Republic

• Central African Republic Habib Habibou

Côte d'Ivoire

• Ivory Coast Moussa Sanoh

Costa Rica

• Costa Rica Dylan Flores

Croatia

• Croatia Ivan Kelava

Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Democratic Republic of the Congo Cédric Mongongu

England

• England Shayon Harrison

France

• France Adama Diakhaby

Guatemala

• Guatemala Nicolás Samayoa

Hungary

• Hungary Lukács Bőle

Italy

• Italy Alessandro Caparco

Kosovo

• Kosovo Florian Loshaj

Lithuania

• Lithuania Linas Klimavičius

Montenegro

• Montenegro Uroš Đuranović

Moldova

• Moldova Alexei Koșelev
• Moldova Denis Rusu

Netherlands

• Netherlands Kevin Luckassen

Nigeria

• Nigeria Michael Omoh

North Macedonia

• North Macedonia Risto Jankov
• North Macedonia Todor Todoroski

Philippines

• Philippines Daisuke Sato

Portugal

• Portugal Filipe Nascimento
• Portugal Nuno Viveiros

Serbia

• Serbia Milan Mitić

Spain

• Spain Jesús Fernández
• Spain Adrià Gallego
• Spain Rubén Miño

Suriname

• Suriname Nicandro Breeveld

Uganda

• Uganda Luwagga Kizito

Notable former managers

• Romania Sorin Cârțu
• Romania Liviu Ciobotariu
• Romania Costel Enache
• Romania Leo Grozavu
• Romania Marius Lăcătuș
• Italy Nicolò Napoli
• Romania Eugen Neagoe
• Romania Ionuț Popa
• Romania Mircea Rednic
• Romania Emil Săndoi
• Romania Flavius Stoican

Statistics and records

League history

European Cups history

Notes

• 1Q: First qualifying round
• 2Q: Second qualifying round
• 3Q: Third qualifying round
• PO: Play-off round

European cups all-time statistics

As of 1 December 2017

Notes

Citations

External links

• on Facebook
• on UEFA's official website
• on LPF's official website. 2019-08-22 at the Wayback Machine.