CSU Alba Iulia (football)
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Clubul Sportiv Universitatea Alba Iulia, also known as CS Universitatea Alba Iulia, or simply as CSU Alba Iulia, is a Romanian football team based in Alba Iulia, Alba County, which currently plays in Liga III, the third tier of Romanian football, following their promotion at the end of the 2021–22 season.
The team represents the football section of the multi-sport club CSU Alba Iulia, which also include athletics, women's basketball, men's rugby and powerlifting sections.
History
CSU Alba Iulia was established in 2009, with the support of University of Alba Iulia, having three sport sections (athletics, basketball and rugby). The football team was founded in 2018 and enrolled in Liga V – Alba County, the fifth tier of the Romanian football league system.
Under the leadership of Vasile Ursu and with experienced players such as Ioan Neag and Fabian Himcinschi, CSU finished 1st in Series II at the end of the 2018–19 season, promoting to fourth league.
The 2019–20 season was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the university team in 2nd place, involved in the promotion battle, 5 points behind Ocna Mureș.
The next season was also canceled in Alba County due to the numerous teams that did not meet the conditions of the medical protocol imposed by the Romanian Football Federation.
In the 2021–22 season, with Mihai Manea as head coach, the team finished 1st and won the promotion play-offs against CSO Baraolt, the Covasna County champions, thrashing them 18–3 on aggregate (11–2 at home and 7–1 away).
In the first season in Liga III, led by Manea, CSU managed to climb on 5th place in the play-out of Series IX after was finish 7th in the regular season.
The next season was better for the Students as managed to qualify for the play-off of Series IX, after a strong battle with Unirea Ungheni and fellow citizens from Unirea Alba Iulia.
Grounds
Initially the team of the University Sports Club from Alba Iulia played its home matches at the Cetate Stadium in Alba Iulia, but since the spring of 2024 the team moved its home matches at Pielarul Sports Base in Sebeș.
Honours
- Winners (1): 2021–22
- Runners-up (1): 2019–20
- Winners (1): 2018–19
Players
First team squad
As of 10 September 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK ROU Darius Paharnicu 2 DF ROU Szabolcs Kilyén (Captain) 4 DF CIV Abdoulaye Niakaté (on loan from CFR Cluj) 5 DF ROU Bogdan Szijj 6 DF ROU Andrei Dinu (on loan from FCSB) 7 MF ROU Emanuel Dat 8 MF ROU David Milchiș 10 MF ROU Vlad Mihalcea 11 MF ROU Răzvan Gățan 12 GK ROU George Pauletti 14 FW ROU Robert Tamaș 16 DF ROU Bogdan Bucurică | No. Pos. Nation Player 18 MF ROU Bogdan Minteuan 21 DF ROU Bogdan Lazăr (on loan from Farul) 22 MF ROU Sebastian Culda 23 MF ROU Bogdan Sucitu (on loan from CFR Cluj) 24 FW ROU Andrei Banyoi 28 DF ROU Alberto Țica 70 MF ROU Darius Trifu 77 FW ROU Cătălin Tronea 80 MF ROU Eduard Vlad 97 DF ROU Rareș Popa 98 DF ROU Andrei Gavrilă 99 GK ROU Haralambie Mociu ?? DF ROU Antonio Dobrin (on loan from Sport Team) | ||
| 1 | GK | ROU | Darius Paharnicu |
| 2 | DF | ROU | Szabolcs Kilyén (Captain) |
| 4 | DF | CIV | Abdoulaye Niakaté (on loan from CFR Cluj) |
| 5 | DF | ROU | Bogdan Szijj |
| 6 | DF | ROU | Andrei Dinu (on loan from FCSB) |
| 7 | MF | ROU | Emanuel Dat |
| 8 | MF | ROU | David Milchiș |
| 10 | MF | ROU | Vlad Mihalcea |
| 11 | MF | ROU | Răzvan Gățan |
| 12 | GK | ROU | George Pauletti |
| 14 | FW | ROU | Robert Tamaș |
| 16 | DF | ROU | Bogdan Bucurică |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | MF | ROU | Bogdan Minteuan |
| 21 | DF | ROU | Bogdan Lazăr (on loan from Farul) |
| 22 | MF | ROU | Sebastian Culda |
| 23 | MF | ROU | Bogdan Sucitu (on loan from CFR Cluj) |
| 24 | FW | ROU | Andrei Banyoi |
| 28 | DF | ROU | Alberto Țica |
| 70 | MF | ROU | Darius Trifu |
| 77 | FW | ROU | Cătălin Tronea |
| 80 | MF | ROU | Eduard Vlad |
| 97 | DF | ROU | Rareș Popa |
| 98 | DF | ROU | Andrei Gavrilă |
| 99 | GK | ROU | Haralambie Mociu |
| ?? | DF | ROU | Antonio Dobrin (on loan from Sport Team) |
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.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. Pos. Nation Player | No. Pos. Nation Player | ||
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
Club Officials
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Board of directors Role Name Owners Romania University of Alba Iulia President Romania Mihai Rotar General manager Romania Aurelian Băbuțan | Current technical staff Role Name Head coach Romania Nicolae Ghişa Assistant coach Romania Bogdan Bucurică Goalkeeping coach Romania Raul Unchiaș |
| Owners | Romania University of Alba Iulia |
| President | Romania Mihai Rotar |
| General manager | Romania Aurelian Băbuțan |
| Role | Name |
| Head coach | Romania Nicolae Ghişa |
| Assistant coach | Romania Bogdan Bucurică |
| Goalkeeping coach | Romania Raul Unchiaș |
League history
| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Notes | Cupa României |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Tier Division Place Notes Cupa României 2025–26 3 Liga III (Seria VII) TBD 2024–25 3 Liga III (Seria VII) 3rd 2023–24 3 Liga III (Seria IX) 4th 2022–23 3 Liga III (Seria IX) 5th | Season Tier Division Place Notes Cupa României 2021–22 4 Liga IV (AB) 1st (C) Promoted 2019–20 4 Liga IV (AB) 2nd 2018–19 5 Liga V (AB) 1st (C) Promoted | ||||
| 2025–26 | 3 | Liga III (Seria VII) | TBD | ||
| 2024–25 | 3 | Liga III (Seria VII) | 3rd | ||
| 2023–24 | 3 | Liga III (Seria IX) | 4th | ||
| 2022–23 | 3 | Liga III (Seria IX) | 5th | ||
| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Notes | Cupa României |
| 2021–22 | 4 | Liga IV (AB) | 1st (C) | Promoted | |
| 2019–20 | 4 | Liga IV (AB) | 2nd | ||
| 2018–19 | 5 | Liga V (AB) | 1st (C) | Promoted |
External links
- on Facebook