The 2020–21 Liga I (also known as Casa Liga 1 for sponsorship reasons) was the 103rd season of the Liga I, the top professional league for Romanian association football clubs. The season started on 21 August 2020 and ended on 19 May 2021. CFR Cluj were winners and three-time defending champions. It was the sixth season to take place in the play-off/play-out format, and the first since the 2005–06 season to feature 16 teams.
The play-off/play-out rule was also altered, with the first six teams at the regular season qualified for the play-off tournament and the last ten for the play-out. The first six teams played two matches against each other as before, but in the play-out the teams only played once against each other. At the end of the play-out, the first two places (or the 7th and 8th overall) played a single match on the ground of the lower ranked team, and the subsequent winner played the last team ranked on a UEFA Europa Conference League spot in the play-off. The winner of the latter encounter qualified for the Europa Conference League.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
The teams ranked 15th and 16th at the end of the play-out tournament were directly relegated, while the 13th and 14th places played a promotion/relegation play-off against 3rd and 4th places from Liga II.
Teams The league consists of 16 teams: 13 from the 2019–20 Liga I, two teams from the 2019–20 Liga II, and the winner of the 2019–20 promotion/relegation play-off.
Teams promoted to the Liga I
The first club to be promoted was UTA Arad, following their 1–1 draw against FC Argeș on 2 August 2020. UTA returned in the Liga I after 12 years of absence.
The second club to be promoted was FC Argeș, following their 1–1 draw against UTA Arad on 2 August 2020. FC Argeș returned in the Liga I after 11 years of absence.
Teams relegated to the Liga II
No teams were relegated from the 2019–20 Liga I.
Initially, two clubs would have been relegated at the end of the 2019–20 Liga I season, with a third playing a relegation play-off with the 3rd-placed team from the 2019–20 Liga II. The first club to have been relegated would have been Chindia Târgoviște, following a 0–1 defeat on 2 August 2020 against Politehnica Iași, ending their 1-year stay in the top flight. However, owing to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the previous season, the league table was frozen on 6 August 2020 and no teams were directly relegated. Instead, Chindia Târgoviște played a promotion/relegation play-off against CS Mioveni and kept their Liga I spot after a 3–1 aggregate result.
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 FC Argeș UTA Arad Chindia Târgoviște Politehnica Iași Nicolae Dobrin Francisc von Neuman Municipal Emil Alexandrescu Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 12,700 Capacity: 12,000 Capacity: 11,390 Astra Giurgiu Gaz Metan Mediaș Marin Anastasovici Gaz Metan Capacity: 8,500 Capacity: 7,814 FC Botoșani Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe Municipal Municipal Capacity: 7,782 Capacity: 5,200 Hermannstadt Sibiu Voluntari Viitorul Constanța Academica Clinceni Gaz Metan Anghel Iordănescu Viitorul Clinceni Capacity: 7,814 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 Service Argeș Pitești Ionuț Șerban Macron Primăria Pitești, Getica 95 Astra Giurgiu Valerică Găman Joma Tinmar Energy Botoșani Jonathan Rodríguez Erreà Elsaco CFR Cluj Mário Camora Nike NTT Data Chindia Târgoviște Daniel Florea Joma Consiliul Județean Dâmbovița Dinamo București Ante Puljić Macron Unibet FCSB Florin Tănase Nike City Insurance Gaz Metan Mediaș Răzvan Pleșca Joma Romgaz Hermannstadt Răzvan Dâlbea Joma :ro:Superbet, Natur House Politehnica Iași Andrei Cristea Joma Superbet Sepsi OSK Leontin Grozavu Rachid Bouhenna Adidas Diószegi, Gyermelyi Universitatea Craiova Nicușor Bancu Puma Betano UTA Arad Ciprian Rus Saller Efbet, International Alexander Holding Viitorul Constanța Romario Benzar Nike OMV Petrom Voluntari Cosmin Achim Macron -
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Politehnica Iași End of contract 7 August 2020 Pre-season Daniel Pancu 11 August 2020 Viitorul Constanța Mutual agreement 7 August 2020 Pre-season Rubén de la Barrera 7 August 2020 Dinamo București Mutual agreement 26 August 2020 7 Cosmin Contra 26 August 2020 Gaz Metan Mediaș Sacked 24 September 2020 6 Jorge Costa 30 September 2020 Universitatea Craiova Cristiano Bergodi Sacked 7 November 2020 1 Corneliu Papură 13 November 2020 Viitorul Constanța Rubén de la Barrera Sacked 30 November 2020 7 Mircea Rednic 2 December 2020 CFR Cluj Dan Petrescu Sacked 30 November 2020 3 Edward Iordănescu 3 December 2020 Dinamo București Cosmin Contra Mutual Agreement 3 December 2020 12 Ionel Gane 4 December 2020 Argeș Pitești Ionuț Moșteanu Sacked 12 December 2020 16 Andrei Prepeliță 13 December 2020 Voluntari Mihai Teja Sacked 28 December 2020 13 Bogdan Andone 29 December 2020 Hermannstadt Rubén Albés Sacked 14 January 2021 14 Liviu Ciobotariu 15 January 2021 Politehnica Iași Daniel Pancu Sacked 28 January 2021 16 Andrei Cristea 29 January 2021 Gaz Metan Mediaș Jorge Costa Sacked 1 February 2021 10 Mihai Teja 1 February 2021 Universitatea Craiova Corneliu Papură Sacked 1 February 2021 3 Marinos Ouzounidis 5 February 2021 Viitorul Constanța Mircea Rednic Sacked 8 April 2021 13 Cătălin Anghel 11 April 2021 Voluntari Bogdan Andone Sacked 8 May 2021 14 Liviu Ciobotariu 8 May 2021 Astra Giurgiu Eugen Neagoe Sacked 8 May 2021 13 Ionuț Badea 9 May 2021
Regular season In the regular season the 16 teams will meet twice for a total of 30 matches per team, with the top 6 advancing to the Championship play-offs and the bottom 10 qualifying for the relegation play-outs.
Table
Results
Positions by round
Play-off round The top six teams from Regular season will meet twice (10 matches per team) for places in 2021–22 UEFA Champions League, 2021–22 UEFA Europa League, and 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference 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.
Play-off table
Positions by round
Play-out round The bottom ten teams from the regular season meet once to contest against relegation. Teams started the play-out 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 finish 7th in the overall season standings, the second placed team – 8th, and so on, with the last placed team in the Relegation round being 16th.
Play-out table
Positions by round
European play-offs In the semi-final, the 7th and 8th-placed teams of the Liga I plays a one-legged match on the ground of the better placed team (7th place). In the final, the winner of the semi-final will encounter the team ranked on the last UEFA Europa Conference League spot in the play-off tournament. The winner of the final will enter the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League.
European play-off semi-final
European play-off final
Promotion/relegation play-offs The 13th and 14th-placed teams of the Liga I faces the 3rd and 4th-placed team of the Liga II.
First leg
Second leg
Season statistics
Top scorers As of games played on 20 May 2021 Rank Player Club Goals1 Florin TănaseFCSB242 Cephas MaleleFC Argeș183 Dennis ManFCSB14 Hamidou KeytaBotoșani4 Ciprian DeacCFR Cluj135 Alexandru CicâldăuUniversitatea Craiova116 Kevin LuckassenViitorul Constanța9 Ronaldo DeaconuGaz Metan7 Constantin BudescuAstra Giurgiu8 Gabriel DebeljuhCFR Cluj Olimpiu MorutanFCSB
Top assists As of games played on 23 April 2021 Rank Player Club Assists1 Olimpiu MoruțanFCSB152 Constantin BudescuAstra Giurgiu83 Deian SorescuDinamo București7 Ronaldo DeaconuGaz Metan Medias5 Petrișor PetrescuHermannstadt66 Florinel ComanFCSB5 Dan NistorUniversitatea Craiova Juan Pablo PassagliaPolitehnica Iași Ciprian DeacCFR Cluj Adrian PăunCFR Cluj
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Dennis ManFCSBFC Argeș3–0 (H)20 September 2020 Andrei CristeaPolitehnica IașiFCSB5–2 (H)27 September 2020 Constantin BudescuAstra GiurgiuUTA Arad6–0 (A)21 December 2020
Notes (H) – Home team(A) – Away team
Double
Player For Against Result Date Marko DugandžićBotoșaniPolitehnica Iași4–0 (H)30 August 2020 Valentin GheorgheAstra GiurgiuSepsi OSK2–2 (H)13 September 2020 Elvir KoljićUniversitatea CraiovaViitorul Constanța4–1 (A)14 September 2020 Gabriel IancuViitorul ConstanțaAstra Giurgiu4–1 (H)26 September 2020 Jefté BetancorVoluntariAstra Giurgiu3–2 (A)3 October 2020 Florin TănaseFCSBDinamo București3–2 (H)3 October 2020 Cephas MaleleFC ArgeșViitorul Constanța2–2 (A)25 October 2020 Vlad MorarUTA AradBotoșani2–3 (A)31 October 2020 Cosmin AchimVoluntariPolitehnica Iași4–0 (H)7 November 2020 Dennis ManFCSBBotoșani4–1 (H)7 November 2020 Florin Tănase (2)FCSBBotoșani4–1 (H)7 November 2020 Mario RondónCFR ClujFC Argeș2–0 (H)8 November 2020 Nicolao DumitruGaz Metan MediașUTA Arad3–1 (A)9 November 2020 Borja ValleDinamo BucureștiVoluntari3–0 (H)20 November 2020 Darius OlaruFCSBGaz Metan Mediaș3–2 (A)23 November 2020 Ciprian DeacCFR ClujPolitehnica Iași2–0 (A)6 December 2020 Hamidou KeytaBotoșaniViitorul Constanța2–1 (A)15 December 2020 Cephas Malele (2)FC ArgeșHermannstadt2–2 (H)16 December 2020 Pavol ŠafrankoSepsi OSKUTA Arad3–0 (H)17 December 2020 Dennis Man (2)FCSBUniversitatea Craiova2–0 (A)18 December 2020 Shlomi AzulayAstra GiurgiuUTA Arad6–0 (A)21 December 2020 Ze ManuelGaz Metan MediașFC Voluntari2–0 (H)12 January 2021 Florin Tănase (3)FCSBAstra Giurgiu3–0 (H)14 January 2021 Hamidou Keyta (2)FC BotoșaniDinamo București4–0 (H)24 January 2021 Kevin LuckassenFC ViitorulSepsi OSK3–3 (H)26 January 2021 Andrei CiobanuFC ViitorulDinamo Bucuresti5–0 (A)26 February 2021 Antoni IvanovFC VoluntariPolitehnica Iași2–0 (A)1 March 2021 Ciprian Deac (2)CFR ClujFC Arges5–0 (H)1 March 2021 Cephas Malele (3)FC ArgeșPolitehnica Iași2–1 (H)8 March 2021 Ciprian Deac (3)CFR ClujPolitehnica Iași4–0 (H)14 March 2021 Yazalde FC HermannstadtFC Arges4–1 (H)3 April 2021 Cephas Malele (4)FC ArgesChindia3–1 (H)9 April 2021 Florin Tanase (4)FCSBAcademica Clinceni2–0 (A)22 April 2021
Notes (H) – Home team(A) – Away team
Clean sheets As of games played on 23 April 2021 Rank Player Club Clean sheets1 Mirko PigliacelliUniversitatea Craiova192 Andrei VladFCSB173 Cristian BălgrădeanCFR Cluj164 Octavian VâlceanuAcademica Clinceni145 Mihai AioaniChindia Târgovişte136 Florin IacobUTA Arad107 Roland NiczulySepsi OSK9 David LazarAstra Giurgiu9 Victor RîmniceanuVoluntari810 Valentin CojocaruViitorul Constanta6 Alexandru GreabArgeș Pitești
Discipline As of games played on 16 February 2021
Player Most yellow cards: 9 Ousmane Viera (Hermannstadt) Most red cards: 2 Ondřej Bačo (Gaz Metan Mediaș) Alexandru Benga (UTA Arad) Valentin Gheorghe (Astra Giurgiu) Gabriel Matei (FC Argeș)
Team Most yellow cards: 74 Hermannstadt Gaz Metan Mediaș Most red cards: 6 Botoșani Fewest yellow cards: 34 Universitatea Craiova Fewest red cards: 0 CFR Cluj
Champion squad
CFR ClujGoalkeepers: Giedrius Arlauskis (6 / 0); Cristian Bălgrădean (26 / 0); Rareș Murariu (1 / 0); Grzegorz Sandomierski (11 / 0).