The 2012–13 season is the eleventh season in FC Vaslui's existence, and its eighth in a row in the top flight of Romanian football. Vaslui will seek to win their first trophy, competing in the Liga I, the Romanian Cup and the UEFA Champions League, after finishing second in the previous Liga I.
Review
Pre-season Vaslui's pre-season transfers started as early as 23 May 2012, when Porumboiu announced they were going to sign Adrian Popa from Concordia Chiajna for an undisclosed fee. However, the transfer collapsed since the player failed his medical. On 24 May, it was reported that Vaslui dropped off the services of Jaime Bragança and Savio Nsereko. On 30 May, Vaslui president, Daniel Stanciu announced that Cape Verde international, Fernando Varela signed a three-year contract as a free agent to substitute Pavol Farkaš, and Romanian international, László Sepsi is going to join Vaslui. However, Sepsi eventually signed CFR Cluj. On 31 May, Chievo Verona reported that they have signed Romanian international, Paul Papp for an undisclosed fee. Later that day, Porumboiu confirmed that Chievo Verona acquired 75% of the player's rights for more than €1,500,000. The media speculated that the real transfer fee is estimated around €2,500,000.
Vaslui's first and only pre-season training camp was set in Austria. Vaslui's first friendlies for the pre-season schedule were fixed against Czech champions Slovan Liberec and vice-champions Sparta Prague, and Russian Premier League side Terek Grozny. Four more friendlies were set up against Albania champions Skënderbeu Korçë, Russian side FC Krasnodar, Azerbaijan vice-champions Khazar Lankaran and a Regional League side from Austria.
To celebrate the first decade since the foundation, the club decided to change the crest. The new crest was accompanied by the words 'Ad Unum Omnes', translated 'All As One'. The change was not welcomed by Vaslui's fans, who claimed that once dropping the old crest, the club also drops off the history of the club.
On 9 June, media reported that two youngsters from Olimpia Satu Mare, Valter Heil and Ervin Zsiga are set to be taken on trial by Vaslui. On 13 June, Liviu Antal and Adrian Sălăgeanu joined Vaslui from Oţelul Galaţi for a joint fee of €700,000. Antal signed a four-year contract, while Sălăgeanu it is yet to sign. One day later, Irineu Calixto Couto joined Vaslui on trial. On 16 June, despite he previously agreed to extend his contract for one more year, Adaílton decided to retire from professional football, in order to be with his family. On the same day, FCM Târgu Mureș defender, Andrei Cordoş signed a two-year contract with Vaslui for an undisclosed fee. One day later, Vaslui signed Olhanense midfielder Cauê for an undisclosed fee, estimated to be around €700,000. On 18 June, Vaslui dropped off the services of the Brazilian defenders Anderson and Gladstone. On the same day, both Valter Heil and Ervin Zsiga signed a five-year contract with Vaslui. Vaslui also signed Leixões midfielder Eduardo Jumisse for an undisclosed fee. One day later, two more players were released, strikers Yero Bello and Răzvan Neagu. Despite media reported that midfielder Adrian Gheorghiu was also released, he played in the second half of the friendly against Khazar Lankaran. On 20 June, Vaslui signed Polish defender Piotr Celeban, after his contract with Śląsk Wrocław expired.
On the same day, Vaslui played its first pre-season friendly against Skënderbeu Korçë. Liviu Antal scored his first goal for Vaslui, assisted by Milanov in the 40th minute to win the match for the club. On 24 July, the team traveled to Kössen where they faced Khazar Lankaran. Vaslui took a 1–0 lead in the first half-hour through N'Doye, but Bonfim equalized in the 67th minute, establishing the final score. Nicolae Stanciu, who had worn the number 31 in the previous season, switched to the number 10 shirt following Adaílton's retirement. Three days later, Vaslui suffered its first defeat from the pre-season, losing 2–1 against Terek Grozny. Lebedenko opened the scoresheet in the 78th minute, before Ervin Zsiga equalised with an 85th-minute goal; however, three minutes later Terek restored their lead with a goal from Oleg Vlasov. On 1 July, Vaslui faced Gambrinus liga side Sparta Prague. Antal opened the score in the 8th minute, before Mario Holek equalized two minutes later. In the 12th minute, Reis scored his first goal for Vaslui, since he is on trial. A 51st-minute goal from Sparta Prague captain Marek Matějovský secured his team a draw, counting Vaslui's second draw from the pre-season.
Vaslui had also news regarding the staff, where Marius Baciu and Eduard Iordănescu have been appointed assistant managers on 14 and 26 June respectively. The appointment of Iordănescu without being consulted, drove Augusto Inácio mad and therefore, on 4 July he resigned from the manager position. Later that day, Porumboiu confirmed that Marius Şumudică has been appointed as the new manager.
On the same day, Vaslui faced the Regional League side Bischoffen. Since Inácio resigned earlier that day, Iordănescu took care of the team. Despite the start-up team consisted in bench players, they began to flow thick and fast as Vasile Buhăescu scored four goals, Nicolae Stanciu, Liviu Antal, Andrei Cordoş, Ervin Zsiga and Tiago Targino got one each to secure a 9–1 win. Şumudică's first two matches in charge ended in a 1–0 defeats against United Arab Emirates Olympic Team and Slovan Liberec on 6 and 7 July respectively.
On 9 July, Sergiu Popovici was loaned out to Gloria Bistrița for one season long. On the same day, striker Sabrin Sburlea signed from Rapid București for an undisclosed fee, thought to be €750,000. On 11 July, Vaslui traveled to Kirchdorf in Tirol to face FC Krasnodar. Wesley scored a brace, counting Şumudică's first win as Vaslui manager. A goalless draw against Saudi Professional League side Ittihad FC ended Vaslui's pre-season, on 12 July.
On 13 July, Marius Constantin returned to his former club Rapid București, signing a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around €250,000. In return, Vaslui opted for a cheaper deal signing free agent Elias Charalambous on a one-year contract, after his contract with Karlsruher SC expired. Three days later, Dănuţ Coman signed a two-year contract from Rapid București, for a reported fee of €62,000. Two days before the opening match for Vaslui, Marius Niculae signed a two-year contract from Dinamo București, for a reported fee of €300,000.
Liga I The fixtures for the 2012–13 season were announced on 11 June, with an early Liga I title contender clash against Rapid București in the opening match, for the third year in a row.
On 22 July, Vaslui travelled to Bucharest to face Rapid București for the third year in a row in the opening match. It took Vaslui just over half an hour to open the scoring against Rapid; when N'Doye fed Wesley inside the box and the Brazilian scored with a right-footed strike towards the left corner of Călin Albuț's goal. Daniel Pancu equalized in the stoppage-time of the first half, from a free-kick obtained by him. Vaslui took the lead, three minutes from the second half, when Celeban threw up the ball, Niculae crossed with a header for Wesley, whose scissor-kick execution put the ball past Albuț. Rapid equalized with a late goal, when Filipe Teixeira scored with a header, following Ștefan Grigorie's corner.
First-team squad No.NameAgeNat.SinceT. Apps.L. Apps.C. Apps.I. Apps.T. GoalsL. GoalsC. GoalsI. GoalsEndsTransfer feeGoalkeepers 12 Vytautas Černiauskas 201039 29 0 10 0 0 0 0 2015 Undisclosed 89 Cătălin Straton 2012 ()9 7 1 1 0 0 0 0 2016 UndisclosedDefenders 3 Fernando Varela 201235 31 0 4 2 1 0 1 2015 Free 5 Piotr Celeban 201231 29 0 2 7 7 0 0 2016 Free 6 Valter Heil 20121 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2017 €25,000 20 Zhivko Milanov 2010 ()125 103 7 15 2 1 0 1 2013 €350,000 23 Adrian Sălăgeanu 201226 22 0 4 0 0 0 0 2015 €200,000 33 Elias Charalambous 201221 18 0 3 1 1 0 0 2013 Free 67 Andrei Cordoş 201213 11 1 1 0 0 0 0 2014 €150,000Midfielders 8 Liviu Antal 201235 30 1 4 5 4 0 1 2016 €500,000 10 Nicolae Stanciu 2011 55 47 4 4 3 2 0 1 2016 €200,000 11 Emile Paul Tendeng 2013 ()5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2013 Free agent 16 Cauê 201233 29 0 4 1 1 0 0 2015 €700,000 17 Sergiu Popovici 20115 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A Undisclosed 18 Lucian Sânmărtean (captain) 2010 ()130 105 9 16 12 11 1 0 2015 €70,000 30 Raul Costin 2009123 100 11 12 8 5 3 0 N/A €100,000 70 Nderim Nexhipi 2013 ()7 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 2015 Free 77 Eduardo Jumisse 2012 17 17 0 0 2 2 0 0 N/A €400,000 78 Ousmane N'Doye 2012 ()70 56 4 10 6 3 1 2 2013 Free 88 Vasile Buhăescu 2005119 100 9 10 8 7 1 0 2013 YouthForwards 9 Sabrin Sburlea 201218 13 1 4 2 2 0 0 2016 €750,000 19 Mike Temwanjera 2007 ()169 143 9 17 42 34 3 5 2013 Undisclosed 40 Alex Buziuc 2013 ()1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2018 Undisclosed
T=Total L=Liga I C=Cupa României I=UEFA Europa League, Intertoto UEFA Cup
Transfers
Summer
In #Position Player Transferred fromFee Date Source 1 Rapid București€65,000 3 FeirenseFree transfer 5 Śląsk WrocławFree transfer 7 BraşovFree transfer 8 Oţelul Galaţi€500,000 9 Rapid București€750,000 11 Olimpia Satu Mare€15,000 16 Olhanense€700,000 23 Oţelul Galaţi€200,000 25 VentspilsFree transfer 29 Dinamo București€300,000 33 Karlsruher SCFree transfer 40 Sportul StudenţescLoan 67 FCM Târgu Mureș€150,000 Olimpia Satu Mare€10,000
Out #Position Player Transferred toFee Date Source1 SivassporLoan return3 Chievo Verona€2,500,0004 Rapid București€250,0007 FiorentinaLoan return9UnattachedReleased10UnattachedRetired11 Rapid BucureștiEnded contract14UnattachedReleased17UnattachedEnded contract23 Gloria BistrițaLoan26 Chievo VeronaEnded contract80 Wesley Al-Hilal€1,000,00083UnattachedReleased85 Duque de CaxiasReleased CS Turnu SeverinReleased
Statistics
Appearances and goals Last updated on 1 June 2013.
|colspan="12"|Players sold or loaned out during the season
+Missed penalties PlayerPen. Ousmane N'Doye1 Marius Niculae1
+Converted penalties PlayerPen. Lucian Sânmărtean3 Nicolae Stanciu1 Dacian Varga1
Top scorers PositionNationNumberNameLiga IEuropeRomanian CupTotal129Marius Niculae11101225Piotr Celeban700718Lucian Sânmărtean700748Liviu Antal0101519Mike Temwanjera300388Vasile Buhăescu300373Fernando Varela11029Sabrin Sburlea200210Nicolae Stanciu110240Dacian Varga200277Eduardo Jumisse200280Wesley20021316Cauê100120Zhivko Milanov100133Elias Charalambous100178Ousmane N'Doye1001TOTALS454049
+Penalties inflicted PlayerPen. Fernando Varela2 Liviu Antal1 Cauê1 Lucian Sânmărtean1
+Penalties obtained PlayerPen. Liviu Antal3 Zhivko Milanov1 Nderim Nexhipi1 Lucian Sânmărtean1 Fernando Varela1
Disciplinary record
NameLiga ICupa RomânieiUEFATotal3DFFernando Varela4000000004005DFPiotr Celeban3000000003006DFValter Heil1000000001007MFDavide1000000001008MFLiviu Antal3000001004009FWSabrin Sburlea20000010030010MFNicolae Stanciu20000000020012GKVytautas Černiauskas10000000010016MFCauê61000000061018MFLucian Sânmărtean50000010060019FWMike Temwanjera40000000040020DFZhivko Milanov910000100101023DFAdrian Sălăgeanu70000000070025MFMichael Tukura10000000010028DFGabriel Cânu00010000010029FWMarius Niculae10000000010030MFRaul Costin40000000040033DFElias Charalambous30000000030040MFDacian Varga30000010040067DFAndrei Cordoş10000010020070MFNderim Nexhipi10000000010077MFEduardo Jumisse60000000060078MFOusmane N'Doye40000010050088MFVasile Buhăescu600000000600TOTALS78201007008620
Overall
{|class="wikitable" |- |Games played || 39 (34 Liga I, 2 UEFA Champions League, 2 UEFA Europa League, 1 Romanian Cup) |- |Games won || 16 (16 Liga I) |- |Games drawn || 12 (10 Liga I, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 UEFA Europa League) |- |Games lost || 11 (8 Liga I, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 UEFA Europa League, 1 Romanian Cup) |- |Goals scored || 54 |- |Goals conceded || 43 |- |Goal difference || +11 |- |Yellow cards || 78 |- |Red cards || 2 |- |Worst discipline || Zhivko Milanov (9 and 1 ) |-