The 2019–20 Liga I (also known as Casa Liga 1 for sponsorship reasons) was the 102nd season of the Liga I, the top professional league for Romanian association football clubs, which began in July 2019 and was scheduled to end in June 2020. Suspended in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania, the season resumed on 13 June and effectively ended on 5 August. It was the fifth season to take place since the play-off/play-out rule had been introduced.
CFR Cluj were two-time defending champions, and they successfully defended their title once more. Universitatea Craiova competed for the trophy until the final fixture of the championship play-offs, and ultimately finished as runner-ups, while FCSB were unable to claim a top three spot in the table for the first time since the 2010–11 season. Because of the aforementioned situation created by the pandemic, it was decided that no club would be relegated directly. Instead, the 14th-placed team would take part in the promotion/relegation play-offs, which resulted in no club being relegated at all.
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic The derby between FCSB and Universitatea Craiova on 8 March 2020 was played without spectators because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Four days later, all football leagues and competitions were suspended by the Romanian Football Federation until 31 March in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania. In May, it was announced that the Liga I would restart on the second weekend of June.
The first match meant to be played at the resumption was Universitatea Craiova versus FC Botoșani, on 12 June at 20:00 EEST (UTC+3), but was postponed after the latter club's doctor tested positive for the virus. This was the second game announced to be postponed on the same day after Dinamo București versus Chindia Târgoviște, which was scheduled for 13 June. Nevertheless, the season resumed with three other matches on 13 June.
After the restart, many matches were postponed due to COVID-19 cases that appeared inside the teams. At the end the season, two matches were cancelled in the play-off after Coronavirus cases from Astra Giurgiu and five matches were canceled in the play-out, after the emergence of the same issue at Dinamo București. The final league tables were approved without these matches and it was announced that only the last place, Chindia Târgoviște, would play a promotion/relegation play-off, with the rest of the teams being spared from relegation and the format being changed from 14 teams to 16 teams starting with the next season.Liga 1 trece de la 14 la 16 echipe! Dinamo a fost salvată de la retrogradare, ultima clasată Chindia Târgoviște va juca barajul de menținere/promovare cu CS Mioveni. Se schimbă modul de promovare din Liga 2, însă din sezonul următor. liga2.prosport.ro
Teams The league consists of 14 teams: twelve teams from the 2018–19 Liga I and two new teams from the 2018–19 Liga II.
Teams promoted to the Liga I
The first club to be promoted was Academica Clinceni, following their 2–1 win against Argeș Pitești on 24 May 2019. Academica will play in the Liga I for the first time in their history.
The second club to be promoted was Chindia Târgoviște, following their 4–1 win against Luceafărul Oradea on 25 May 2019. AFC Chindia will play in the Liga I for the first time in their history, but the city of Târgoviște, returned in the Liga I after 21 years of absence, where it was last represented by FCM Târgoviște, named between 1996 and 2003 as CF Chindia, club that was also the first club of the city and which was replaced by the new club (AFC Chindia) after some internal conflicts.
Teams relegated to the Liga II
The first club to be relegated was Concordia Chiajna, which were relegated on 22 May 2019 following a 0–2 defeat against Dunărea Călărași, ending their 8-year stay in the top flight.
The second club to be relegated was Dunărea Călărași, which were relegated on 2 June 2019 following a 1–2 defeat against FC Hermannstadt, ending their 1-year stay in the top flight.
Venues FCSB Universitatea Craiova CFR Cluj Chindia Târgoviște Arena Națională Ion Oblemenco Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Ilie Oană Capacity: 55,634 Capacity: 30,929 Capacity: 23,500 Capacity: 15,073 Dinamo București Politehnica Iași Stadionul 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 Hermannstadt Voluntari Viitorul Constanța Academica Clinceni Municipal Anghel Iordănescu Viitorul Clinceni Capacity: 5,000 Capacity: 4,600 Capacity: 4,554 Capacity: 4,500
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 Academica Clinceni Răzvan Patriche Joma Nicmar Prima, Fermele Crevedia Astra Giurgiu Denis Alibec Joma Tinmar, Pambac Botoșani Erreà Elsaco CFR Cluj Mário Camora Joma NTT Data Chindia Târgoviște Cristian Cherchez Joma Primăria Târgoviște, CJ Dâmbovița Dinamo București Ante Puljić Macron Unibet FCSB Florin Tănase Nike City Insurance Gaz Metan Mediaș Marius Constantin Joma Romgaz Hermannstadt Răzvan Dâlbea Joma Natur House Politehnica Iași Cosmin Frăsinescu Joma Superbet Sepsi OSK Leontin Grozavu István Fülöp Adidas Diószegi, Gyermelyi Universitatea Craiova Nicușor Bancu Joma Betano Viitorul Constanța Gabriel Iancu Nike Pepsi Voluntari Ionuț Balaur Macron Winner
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment FCSB Sacked 21 May 2019 Pre-season 5 June 2019 Sepsi (caretaker) End of tenure as a caretaker 31 May 2019 Pre-season Csaba László 1 June 2019 Botoșani Signed by Lebanon 31 May 2019 Pre-season 10 July 2019 Politehnica Signed by Petrolul Ploiești 31 May 2019 Pre-season 10 June 2019 Dinamo Mutual agreement 3 June 2019 Pre-season 3 June 2019 Astra Sacked 12 June 2019 Pre-season 13 June 2019 Hermannstadt Signed by Kisvárda 13 June 2019 Pre-season 17 June 2019 FCSB Released 2 August 2019 8 (caretaker) 2 August 2019 Academica No UEFA Pro Licence 8 August 2019 14 8 August 2019 Dinamo Mutual agreement 13 August 2019 13 13 August 2019 FCSB (caretaker) Mutual agreement 23 August 2019 11 23 August 2019 Universitatea Mutual agreement 2 September 2019 3 2 September 2019 Hermannstadt Mutual agreement 28 September 2019 12 2 October 2019 Astra Sacked 9 October 2019 7 9 October 2019 Sepsi Csaba László Mutual agreement 12 November 2019 11 12 November 2019 Politehnica Mutual agreement 23 December 2019 11 31 December 2019 Hermannstadt Mutual agreement 27 December 2019 10 27 December 2019 Voluntari Sacked 1 January 2020 14 8 January 2020 Universitatea Mutual agreement 14 January 2020 4 14 January 2020 Dinamo Mutual agreement 11 March 2020 10 11 March 2020 Gaz Metan Mutual agreement 4 May 2020 6 15 June 2020 Universitatea Mutual agreement 8 May 2020 3 9 May 2020 Hermannstadt Sacked 14 June 2020 9 19 June 2020 Chindia End of contract 30 June 2020 13 1 July 2020 Dinamo Mutual agreement 13 July 2020 13 13 July 2020 FCSB Sacked 19 July 2020 5 19 July 2020 Viitorul Mutual agreement 3 August 2020 7 3 August 2020
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 2020–21 UEFA Champions League and 2020–21 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.
Championship play-off table
Championship play-off 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.
Relegation play-outs table
Relegation play-outs results
Positions by round
Promotion/relegation play-offs The 14th-placed team of the Liga I faces the 3rd-placed team of the Liga II.
Season statistics
Top scorers Updated to matches played on 16 June 2020. Rank Player Club Goals1 Gabriel IancuViitorul Constanța182 Ciprian DeacCFR Cluj14 Denis AlibecAstra Giurgiu Alexandru CicâldăuUniversitatea Craiova5 Florinel ComanFCSB12 Gabriel DebeljuhHermannstadt7 RivaldinhoViitorul Constanța118 Sergiu BușGaz Metan Mediaș10 Deian SorescuDinamo București Valentin GheorgheAstra Giurgiu
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Daniel PopaDinamo BucureștiAcademica Clinceni4–22 August 2019 George MerloiAcademica ClinceniChindia Târgoviște5–21 December 2019
Clean sheets Updated to matches played on 9 March 2020. Rank Player Club Clean sheets1 Giedrius ArlauskisCFR Cluj152 Cristian BălgrădeanFCSB10 Răzvan PleșcaGaz Metan Mediaș4 David LazarAstra Giurgiu6 Riccardo PiscitelliDinamo București Denis RusuPolitehnica Iași Roland NiczulySepsi OSK Cătălin CăbuzViitorul Constanța9 CristianoHermannstadt510 Eduard PapBotoșani4 Mihai AioaniChindia Târgoviște Mirko PigliacelliUniversitatea Craiova
Discipline As of 9 March 2020
Player Most yellow cards: 9 Bradley Diallo (Chindia Târgoviște) Bogdan Țîru (Viitorul Constanța)1 Valentin Mihăilă (Universitatea Craiova) Nicandro Breeveld (Politehnica Iași) 1 Bogdan Țîru was transferred to Jagiellonia Białystok during the winter transfer window.
Most red cards: 3 Răzvan Tincu (Sepsi OSK)
Club Most yellow cards: 81 Politehnica Iași Most red cards: 6 FCSB Voluntari
Attendances
Champion squad
CFR ClujGoalkeepers: Giedrius Arlauskis (28 / 0); Jesús Fernández (2 / 0); Otto Hindrich (1 / 0); Adrian Rus (1 / 0); Grzegorz Sandomierski (1 / 0); Cosmin Vâtcă (4 / 0). Defenders: Kévin Boli (15 / 2); Andrei Burcă (21 / 2); Mihai Butean (4 / 0); Mário Camora (29 / 2); Mike Cestor (11 / 1); Denis Ciobotariu (1 / 0); Cristian Manea (5 / 0); Andrei Mureșan (7 / 0); Paulo Vinícius (25 / 5); Alex Pașcanu (4 / 0); Andrei Peteleu (13 / 0); Mateo Sušić (16 / 2). Midfielders: Luís Aurélio (11 / 1); Mihai Bordeianu (21 / 2); Alexandru Chipciu (9 / 0); Valentin Costache (34 / 4); Emmanuel Culio (9 / 3); Ciprian Deac (25 / 14); Damjan Đoković (18 / 1); Alin Fică (2 / 0); Ovidiu Hoban (26 / 1); Cătălin Itu (33 / 4); Dodi Joca (5 / 0); Sebastian Mailat (1 / 0); Michaël Pereira (16 / 2); Yacouba Sylla (4 / 0); Adrian Păun (24 / 7); Claudiu Petrila (15 / 0). Forwards: Cătălin Golofca (7 / 0); Billel Omrani (28 / 6); Lacina Traoré (11 / 2); Mario Rondón (24 / 2); George Țucudean (6 / 1). (league appearances and goals listed in brackets)
Manager: Dan Petrescu.
Awards Liga I Team of the Season
Player Team Position Giedrius Arlauskis CFR Cluj Goalkeeper Andrei Burcă CFR Cluj Defender Paulo Vinícius CFR Cluj Defender Marius Constantin Gaz Metan Mediaș Defender Ciprian Deac CFR Cluj Midfielder Dan Nistor Dinamo București / Universitatea Craiova Midfielder Alexandru Cicâldău Universitatea Craiova Midfielder Jonathan Rodríguez Botoșani Midfielder Gabriel Iancu Viitorul Forward Denis Alibec Astra Giurgiu Forward Florinel Coman FCSB Forward
References
External links