The 2017–18 Liga I (also known as Liga 1 Betano for sponsorship reasons) was the 100th season of the Liga I, the top professional league for Romanian association football clubs. The season began on 14 July 2017 and ended on 2 June 2018, being the third to take place since the play-off/play-out format has been introduced.
Defending champions Viitorul Constanța came fourth. CFR Cluj became the new champions in the last fixture of the play-off, clinching their fourth league title after finishing one point above FCSB. Juventus București and Sepsi OSK entered as the promoted teams from the 2016–17 Liga II, but only the latter managed to avoid relegation.
Since Romania dropped from 15th to 17th in the UEFA association coefficient rankings, only the title winner qualified for the UEFA Champions League.
Teams The league consists of 14 teams: twelve teams from the 2016–17 Liga I and two new teams from the 2016–17 Liga II.
Teams promoted to the Liga I
The first club to be promoted was Juventus București, following their 3–1 win against Balotești on 30 April 2017. Juventus will play in the Liga I for the first time in their history.
The second club to be promoted was Sepsi OSK, following their 1–1 draw against Mioveni on 3 June 2017. Sepsi will play in the Liga I for the first time in their history.
Teams relegated to the Liga II
The first club to be relegated was Târgu Mureș, which were relegated on 19 May 2017 following a 0–1 defeat against Pandurii Târgu Jiu, ending their 3-year stay in the top flight.
The second and final club to be relegated was Pandurii Târgu Jiu, which were relegated on 4 June 2018 following their 1–2 defeat against Botoșani, ending their 12-year stay in the top flight.
Venues
FCSB ACS Poli Timișoara Universitatea Craiova CFR Cluj Arena Națională Dan Păltinișanu Ion Oblemenco Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Capacity: 55,634 Capacity: 32,972 Capacity: 30,983 Capacity: 23,500 Dinamo București CSM Politehnica Iași Dinamo Emil Alexandrescu Capacity: 15,032 Capacity: 11,390 Astra Giurgiu Gaz Metan Mediaș Marin Anastasovici Gaz Metan Capacity: 8,500 Capacity: 7,814 FC Botoșani Sepsi OSK Municipal Municipal Capacity: 7,782 Capacity: 5,200 Concordia Chiajna FC Voluntari Juventus București Viitorul Constanța Concordia Anghel Iordănescu Anghel Iordănescu Viitorul Capacity: 5,123 Capacity: 4,600 Capacity: 4,600 Capacity: 4,554
Personnel and kits
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor ACS Poli Timișoara Gabriel Cânu Joma Vox Technology Park, Casa Rusu Astra Giurgiu Alexandru Stan Joma Tinmar Botoșani Alberto Cobrea Nike / Erreà Elsaco CFR Cluj Mário Camora Joma NTT Data Concordia Chiajna Marian Cristescu Lotto — CSM Politehnica Iași Andrei Cristea Joma Municipiul Iași, Cotnari Dinamo București Florin Bratu Dan Nistor Macron Orange FCSB Florin Tănase Nike City Insurance Gaz Metan Mediaș Marius Constantin Joma Romgaz Juventus București Liviu Băjenaru Joma Phoenicia Hotels Sepsi OSK Eugen Neagoe Attila Hadnagy Adidas Diószegi, Gyermelyi Universitatea Craiova Alexandru Băluță Joma Betano.com Viitorul Constanța Ianis Hagi Nike Holsten, Pepsi Voluntari Daniel Novac Puma Academia de Fotbal Voluntari
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment FCSB Mutual agreement 31 May 2017 Pre-season 1 June 2017 Astra Giurgiu End of contract 31 May 2017 1 June 2017 Universitatea Craiova 31 May 2017 1 June 2017 Botoșani 5 June 2017 5 June 2017 CSM Politehnica Iași 5 June 2017 9 June 2017 CFR Cluj Mutual agreement 6 June 2017 10 June 2017 Concordia Chiajna 18 July 2017 10th 19 July 2017 Juventus București Resigned 19 August 2017 14th (caretaker) 20 August 2017 Dinamo București Signed by Romania 17 September 2017 7th 21 September 2017 Concordia Chiajna Signed by Dinamo București 21 September 2017 12th 21 September 2017 Sepsi OSK Mutual agreement 25 October 2017 12th Sándor Nagy (caretaker) 25 October 2017 Sepsi OSK Sándor Nagy (caretaker) End of caretaker spell 14 November 2017 12th Eugen Neagoe 14 November 2017 Juventus București (caretaker) 17 December 2017 14th 18 December 2017 Poli Timișoara Mutual agreement 5 February 2018 9th 6 February 2018 Dinamo București Resigned 26 February 2018 8th 26 February 2018 Astra Giurgiu Mutual agreement 2 April 2018 5th 4 April 2018 Voluntari 14 April 2018 10th 14 April 2018 Poli Timișoara 18 April 2018 12th 18 April 2018 Concordia Chiajna 25 April 2018 11th 25 April 2018
Regular season In the regular season the 14 teams will meet twice, a total of 26 matches per team, with the top 6 advancing to the Championship round and the bottom 8 qualifying for Relegation round.
Table
Results
Positions by round
Championship play-offs The top six teams from Regular season would meet twice (10 matches per team) for places in 2018–19 UEFA Champions League and 2018–19 UEFA Europa League as well as deciding the league champion. Teams started the Championship round with their points from the Regular season halved, rounded upwards, and no other records carried over from the Regular season.
Table
Results
Positions by round
Relegation play-outs The bottom eight teams from regular season will meet twice (14 matches per team) to contest against relegation. Teams start the Relegation round with their points from the Regular season halved, rounded upwards, and no other records carried over from the Regular season. The winner of the Relegation round finishes 7th in the overall season standings, the second placed team - 8th, and so on, with the last placed team in the Relegation round being 14th.
Table
Results
Positions by round
Promotion/relegation play-offs The 12th-placed team of the Liga I faced the 3rd-placed team of the Liga II.
Notes: Voluntari remained in Liga I and Chindia Târgoviște remained in Liga II.
Season statistics
Top scorers Updated to matches played on 2 June 2018. Rank Player Club Goals1 George ȚucudeanViitorul Constanța (11) / CFR Cluj (4)15 Harlem GnohéréFCSB3 Paul BatinConcordia Chiajna134 Alexandru MitrițăUniversitatea Craiova125 GustavoUniversitatea Craiova11 Alexandru IonițăAstra Giurgiu (10) / CFR Cluj (1) Alexandru BăluțăUniversitatea Craiova Mihai RomanBotoșani9 Florin TănaseFCSB10 Dennis ManFCSB Constantin BudescuFCSB12 Andrei CristeaCSM Politehnica Iași9 István FülöpSepsi OSK Marian CristescuConcordia Chiajna Mario RondónGaz Metan Mediaș Daniel Popa Botoșani (1) / Dinamo București (8) Diogo SalomãoDinamo București Adrian BălanVoluntari
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Alexandru Tudorie Voluntari Sepsi OSK 3–0 George Țucudean4 Viitorul Constanța CSM Iași 5–2 Harlem Gnohéré FCSB ACS Poli Timișoara 7–0 Alexandru Mitriță Universitatea Craiova CSM Politehnica Iași 4–1 Ely Gaz Metan Mediaș Juventus București 3–0 4 Player scored four goals
Clean sheets Updated to matches played on 2 June 2018. Rank Player Club Clean sheets1 Jaime PenedoDinamo București14 Giedrius ArlauskisCFR Cluj Alberto CobreaBotoșani4 Plamen IlievAstra Giurgiu125 Victor RîmniceanuViitorul Constanța (10) / Sepsi OSK (1)116 Florin Niță1FCSB107 Cosmin VâtcăCFR Cluj88 Nicolae CalanceaUniversitatea Craiova7 Cristian BălgrădeanConcordia Chiajna (2) / FCSB (5)10 Dragoș BalauruVoluntari6 Virgil DrăghiaJuventus București Cătălin StratonACS Poli Timișoara Răzvan PleșcaGaz Metan Mediaș 1 Florin Niță was transferred to Sparta Prague during the winter transfer window.
Discipline As of 2 June 2018
Player Most yellow cards: 14 István Fülöp (Sepsi OSK) Most red cards: 2 Anatole Abang (Astra Giurgiu) Ionuț Cioinac (CSM Politehnica Iași) Diogo Salomão (Dinamo București) Kévin Boli (CFR Cluj) Kamer Qaka (CSM Politehnica Iași) Mădălin Mihăescu (CSM Politehnica Iași) Mihai Pintilii (FCSB) Gabriel Cânu (ACS Poli Timișoara) Dragoș Balauru (Voluntari)
Club Most yellow cards: 116 CSM Politehnica Iași Most red cards: 9 Astra Giurgiu
Attendances
Champion squad
CFR ClujGoalkeepers: Giedrius Arlauskis (26 / 0); Cosmin Vâtcă (10 / 0). Defenders: Kévin Boli (14 / 0); Mário Camora (30 / 1); Srdjan Luchin (3 / 0); Cristian Manea (35 / 0); Andrei Mureșan (27 / 1); Paulo Vinícius (34 / 5); Andrei Peteleu (7 / 0); Alexandru Vlad (3 / 0). Midfielders: Mihai Bordeianu (6 / 0); Valentin Costache (13 / 0); Emmanuel Culio (33 / 8); Ciprian Deac (34 / 5); Damjan Đoković (23 / 3); Ovidiu Hoban (34 / 3); Alexandru Ioniță (9 / 1); Sebastian Mailat (13 / 1); Thierry Moutinho (8 / 0); Dan Nistor (17 / 0); Bryan Nouvier (15 / 1); Adrian Păun (19 / 2); Laurențiu Rus (10 / 0). Forwards: Ibrahima Baldé (13 / 4); Jeremy Bokila (5 / 0); Marius Coman (4 / 0); Billel Omrani (30 / 8); George Țucudean (14 / 4); Urko Vera (15 / 5). (league appearances and goals listed in brackets)
Manager: Dan Petrescu.
Awards Best Team of the Championship play-offs
Player Team Position Giedrius Arlauskis CFR Cluj Goalkeeper Cristian Manea CFR Cluj Defender Paulo Vinícius CFR Cluj Defender Bogdan Planić FCSB Defender Marko Momčilović FCSB Defender Alexandru Mitriță Universitatea Craiova Midfielder Emmanuel Culio CFR Cluj Midfielder Constantin Budescu FCSB Midfielder Ianis Hagi Viitorul Forward George Țucudean CFR Cluj Forward Harlem Gnohéré FCSB Forward
Monthly awards
MonthDigiSport Player of the MonthReferencePlayerClubJulyAlexandru BăluțăUniversitatea Craiova AugustSergiu HancaDinamo București SeptemberAlexandru Tudorie Voluntari October Harlem Gnohéré FCSB November Alexandru Ioniță Astra Giurgiu December Florin Tănase FCSB FebruaryNot awarded MarchNot awarded AprilNot awarded MayNot awarded
References
External links