The 2018–19 Liga I (also known as Liga 1 Betano for sponsorship reasons) was the 101st season of the Liga I, the top professional league for Romanian association football clubs. The season began on 20 July 2018 and ended on 2 June 2019, being the fourth to take place since the play-off/play-out rule has been introduced.
Dunărea Călărași and Hermannstadt joined as the promoted clubs from the 2017–18 Liga II. CFR Cluj managed to defend the title for the first time in their history, while FCSB became the first team in the country to finish as runners-up for four consecutive seasons.
Teams The league consists of 14 teams: twelve teams from the 2017–18 Liga I and two new teams from the 2017–18 Liga II.
Teams promoted to the Liga I
The first club to be promoted was Dunărea Călărași, following their 3–1 win against Ripensia Timișoara on 5 May 2018. Dunărea will play in the Liga I for the first time in their history.
The second club to be promoted was Hermannstadt, following their 1–1 draw against Chindia Târgoviște on 13 May 2018. Hermannstadt will play in the Liga I for the first time in their history, but the city of Sibiu, which had many different teams over time, returned in the Liga I after six years of absence, where was last time represented by Voința Sibiu.
Teams relegated to the Liga II
The first club to be relegated was Juventus București, which were relegated on 22 May 2018 following a 1–3 defeat against Concordia Chiajna, ending their 1-year stay in the top flight.
The second club to be relegated was Poli Timișoara, which were relegated on 2 June 2018 following their 1–0 win against Concordia Chiajna, ending their 3-year stay in the top flight.
Venues
FCSB Universitatea Craiova CFR Cluj Dinamo București Arena Națională Ion Oblemenco Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Dinamo Capacity: 55,634 Capacity: 30,929 Capacity: 23,500 Capacity: 15,032 Politehnica Iași Dunărea Călărași Emil Alexandrescu Ion Comșa Capacity: 11,390 Capacity: 10,400 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 Hermannstadt Voluntari Viitorul Constanța Concordia Municipal Anghel Iordănescu Viitorul Capacity: 5,123 Capacity: 5,000 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 Astra Giurgiu Filip Mrzljak Joma — Botoșani Andrei Burcă Erreà Casa Pariurilor CFR Cluj Mário Camora Joma NTT Data Concordia Chiajna Marian Cristescu Lotto — Dinamo București Dan Nistor Macron Orange Dunărea Călărași Alin Dobrosavlevici Acerbis Fortuna FCSB Mihai Pintilii Nike City Insurance Gaz Metan Mediaș Marius Constantin Joma Romgaz Hermannstadt Răzvan Dâlbea Andu Primăria Sibiu Politehnica Iași Cosmin Frăsinescu Joma Superbet Sepsi OSK Attila Hadnagy Adidas Diószegi, Gyermelyi Universitatea Craiova Nicușor Bancu Joma Betano.com Viitorul Constanța Ianis Hagi Nike — Voluntari Cosmin Vâtcă Macron Winner
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Astra End of contract 31 May 2018 Pre-season 10 June 2018 CFR Cluj Signed by Guizhou Hengfeng 4 June 2018 Pre-season 13 June 2018 Voluntari Sacked 14 June 2018 Pre-season 21 June 2018 Gaz Metan End of contract 30 June 2018 Pre-season 1 July 2018 CFR Cluj Mutual agreement 26 July 2018 8 Toni Conceição 26 July 2018 Voluntari Resigned 21 August 2018 14 Dinu Todoran 25 August 2018 Astra Sacked 2 September 2018 4 2 September 2018 Concordia Mutual agreement 15 September 2018 13 17 September 2018 Dinamo Mutual agreement 22 September 2018 10 24 September 2018 Hermannstadt Mutual agreement 9 October 2018 13 9 October 2018 Dinamo Mutual agreement 13 October 2018 12 13 October 2018 Voluntari Mutual agreement 7 November 2018 14 8 November 2018 Astra Sacked 10 November 2018 6 17 November 2018 Botoșani Mutual agreement 16 November 2018 12 16 November 2018 FCSB Mutual agreement 23 December 2018 2 27 December 2018 Gaz Metan Signed by FCSB 27 December 2018 8 7 January 2019 Concordia Sacked 7 January 2019 13 8 January 2019 CFR Cluj Toni Conceição Mutual agreement 19 February 2019 1 (caretaker) 19 February 2019 CFR Cluj (caretaker) End of tenure as a caretaker 22 March 2019 1 22 March 2019 Universitatea Mutual agreement 15 April 2019 3 22 March 2019 Sepsi Mutual agreement 2 May 2019 6 (caretaker) 3 May 2019
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 will meet twice (10 matches per team) for places in 2019–20 UEFA Champions League and 2019–20 UEFA Europa League as well as deciding the league champion. Teams start 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 met twice (14 matches per team) to contest against relegation. Teams started 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 finished 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.
Season statistics
Top scorers Updated to matches played on 2 June 2019. Rank Player Club Goals1 George ȚucudeanCFR Cluj182 Harlem GnohéréFCSB153 Mattia MontiniDinamo București13 Elvir KoljićUniversitatea Craiova Alexandru Mitriță1Universitatea Craiova6 Florinel ComanFCSB11 Ibrahima TandiaSepsi OSK8 Florin TănaseFCSB10 Mario RondónGaz Metan Mediaș Ianis HagiViitorul Constanța Alexandru TudorieVoluntari12 Mihai Roman IIBotoșani9 Dennis ManFCSB 1 Alexandru Mitriță was transferred to New York City during the winter transfer window.
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Nicușor Bancu Universitatea Craiova Voluntari 5–1 George Țucudean CFR Cluj Voluntari 5–0 Mattia Montini Dinamo București Universitatea Craiova 3–0 Mario Rondón Gaz Metan Mediaș Hermannstadt 4–1
Clean sheets Updated to matches played on 2 June 2019. Rank Player Club Clean sheets1 Giedrius ArlauskisCFR Cluj182 Mirko PigliacelliUniversitatea Craiova163 Răzvan PleșcaGaz Metan Mediaș134 Cristian BălgrădeanFCSB125 Cătălin StratonDunărea Călărași116 Cătălin CăbuzHermannstadt107 Roland NiczulySepsi OSK98 Eduard PapBotoșani8 Martin FraislBotoșani Parfait MandandaDinamo Bucuresti11 Valentin CojocaruViitorul Constanța712 Denis RusuPolitehnica Iași 6 Cosmin VâtcăVoluntari
Discipline Updated 2 June 2019
Player Most yellow cards: 15 Alexandru Răuță (Voluntari)
Most red cards: 3 Emmanuel Culio (CFR Cluj)
Club Most yellow cards: 130 Concordia Chiajna Most red cards: 8 Astra Giurgiu FCSB Gaz Metan Mediaș
Attendances
Champion squad
CFR ClujGoalkeepers: Giedrius Arlauskis (31 / 0); Jesús Fernández (3 / 0); Cosmin Vâtcă (2 / 0). Defenders: Kévin Boli (10 / 0); Mário Camora (32 / 1); Ádám Lang (18 / 0); Cristian Manea (34 / 1); Andrei Mureșan (22 / 2); Paulo Vinícius (31 / 2); Andrei Peteleu (8 / 0); Andrei Radu (1 / 0). Midfielders: Mihai Bordeianu (26 / 1); Valentin Costache (18 / 1); Emmanuel Culio (25 / 5); Ciprian Deac (26 / 4); Damjan Đoković (33 / 4); Ovidiu Hoban (12 / 1); Alexandru Ioniță (23 / 2); Cătălin Itu (1 / 0); Sebastian Mailat (10 / 0); Mate Maleš (8 / 0); Thierry Moutinho (16 / 1); Adrian Păun (27 / 3); Claudiu Petrila (5 / 0). Forwards: Júlio Baptista (2 / 0); Cristian Bud (4 / 0); Giuseppe De Luca (3 / 0); Billel Omrani (32 / 6); Robert Tambe (6 / 0); George Țucudean (27 / 8); Urko Vera (2 / 0). (league appearances and goals listed in brackets)
Manager: Edward Iordănescu / Toni Conceição / Alin Minteuan / Dan Petrescu.
Awards Liga I Team of the Regular Season
Player Team Position Mirko Pigliacelli Universitatea Craiova Goalkeeper Romario Benzar FCSB Defender Paulo Vinícius CFR Cluj Defender Mike Cestor Astra Giurgiu Defender Camora CFR Cluj Defender Ibrahima Tandia Sepsi OSK Midfielder Alexandru Cicâldău Universitatea Craiova Midfielder Florin Tănase FCSB Midfielder Ianis Hagi Viitorul Forward George Țucudean CFR Cluj Forward Alexandru Mitriță Universitatea Craiova Forward
Liga I Team of the Championship play-offs
Player Team Position Giedrius Arlauskis CFR Cluj Goalkeeper Romario Benzar FCSB Defender Paulo Vinícius CFR Cluj Defender Iulian Cristea FCSB Defender Camora CFR Cluj Defender Damjan Djoković CFR Cluj Midfielder Alexandru Cicâldău Universitatea Craiova Midfielder Dennis Man FCSB Midfielder Ianis Hagi Viitorul Midfielder Florinel Coman FCSB Forward Harlem Gnohéré FCSB Forward
Liga I Team of the Season
Player Team Position Mirko Pigliacelli Universitatea Craiova Goalkeeper Romario Benzar FCSB Defender Paulo Vinícius CFR Cluj Defender Camora CFR Cluj Defender Dennis Man FCSB Midfielder Dan Nistor Dinamo București Midfielder Alexandru Cicâldău Universitatea Craiova Midfielder Florinel Coman FCSB Midfielder Ianis Hagi Viitorul Forward George Țucudean CFR Cluj Forward Harlem Gnohéré FCSB Forward
References
External links