📏 Form Guide

CFR Cluj

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Cluj will be looking for a repeat result of a 1-4 Liga 1 Play Offs victory against Rapid Bucharest.

In that match, CFR Cluj managed 39% possession and 16 shots at goal with 7 of them on target. For CFR Cluj, the goalscorers were Adrian Păun (11'), Virgiliu Postolachi (40'), Ciprian Deac (45') and Leo Bolgado (70'). For their opponents, Rapid Bucureşti had 14 attempts at goal with 7 on target.

CFR Cluj have been finding it hard to keep clean sheets recently, but they have also found ways to score goals themselves. Analysis of their previous 6 games shows that CFR Cluj have been punished defensively in 5 of them as well as getting on the scoresheet in 6 of those matches. Such a trend might not be carried forward into this next game, of course.

Steaua Bucharest

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Steaua Bucharest will come into the meeting following a 1-0 Liga 1 Play Offs win as they beat Universitatea Craiova in their last match.

In that match, Steaua Bucharest had 53% possession and 5 attempts at goal with 2 on target. The only player to score for Steaua Bucharest was Daniel Bîrligea (19'). For their opponents, Universitatea Craiova had 16 attempts on goal with 3 on target.

A sequence of resolute performances by the Steaua Bucharest defensive players has seen their ‘goals against’ tally standing at 4 from their previous 6 fixtures overall. In that period of time, their forwards have scored 11.

🤜🤛 Head to head

Checking on their prior head-to-head meetings going back to 10/12/2023 shows us that Cluj have won 1 of these & Steaua Bucharest 2, with the number of drawn results being 3.

15 goals were scored between the two sides during those clashes, with 7 from Ceferiștii and 8 belonging to Steliștii. This gives an average number of goals per game equal to 2.5.

The last league fixture featuring these sides was Liga 1 Play Offs match day 5 on 20/04/2025 when the final score was Steaua Bucharest 3-2 CFR Cluj.

On that day, Steaua Bucharest had 45% possession and 6 shots on goal with 4 of them on target. Goals were scored by Juri Cisotti (41', 63') and Vlad Chiricheș (56').

For their opponents, CFR Cluj had 17 attempts at goal with 7 of them on target. Louis Munteanu (67', 90') was the scorer.

📰 Team News: Cluj

Adel Bettaieb (unknown injury), Gabriel Simion (unknown injury), Iulian Cristea (unknown injury), Jasper van der Werff (unknown injury) and Ovidiu Bic (unknown injury) won’t be able to feature for Cluj boss Dan Petrescu.

In all likelihood, Ceferiștii look set to use a 4-1-4-1 formation for this game, utilising Mihai Popa, Aly Abeid, Sheriff Sinyan, Matei Cristian Ilie, Camora, Lindon Emerllahu, Ciprian Ioan Deac, Meriton Korenica, Adrian Paun, Mohammed Kamara and Louis Munteanu.

ℹ️ Team News: Steaua Bucharest

There’s a good chance that Steliștii seem most likely to elect for a 4-2-3-1 lineup, going with Lukas Zima, Ionut Cercel, Baba Alhassan, Mihai Popescu, David Kiki, Mihai Lixandru, Malcom Edjouma, Marius Stefanescu, Alexandru Stoian, Octavian Popescu and Jordan Gele.

💡 Prediction

We feel that CFR Cluj should convert a lot of goal-scoring opportunities.

However, Steaua Bucharest might well find it a difficult task getting goals but do we see them hitting back at some stage here.

We’re predicting a comfortable 3-1 win for CFR Cluj when all’s said and done.

Victor Martins, 17:03 23/05/2025