The 2022–23 Liga I (also known as Superliga for sponsorship reasons) was the 105th season of the Liga I, the top professional league for Romanian association football clubs. The season started on 16 July 2022 and ended in May 2023. It was the eighth season to take place since the play-off/play-out format has been introduced. Farul Constanța claimed the title, ending the five season domination of the Transylvanian side CFR Cluj.
After the conclusion of the regular season, teams will be divided according to their place to enter either the championship play-offs or the relegation play-outs.
The teams ranked 15th and 16th at the end of the play-out tournament will be 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 consisted of 16 teams: 12 from the 2021–22 Liga I, two teams from the 2021–22 Liga II, and the winners of the 2021–22 promotion/relegation play-off.
Teams promoted to the Superliga
The first club to be promoted was Petrolul Ploiești, following their 2–0 win against Concordia Chiajna on 9 May 2022. Petrolul Ploiești returned to the Superliga after six years of absence.
The second club to be promoted was Hermannstadt, following their 0–0 draw against Steaua București on 15 May 2022. Hermannstadt returned to Liga I after only one year of absence.
The third club to be promoted was Universitatea Cluj, following their 1–1 draw against Dinamo București on 29 May 2022, in the promotion/relegation play-offs. Universitatea Cluj returned to Liga I after seven years of absence.
Teams relegated to the Liga II
The first club to be relegated was Gaz Metan Mediaș, which were relegated on 2 April 2022 following a 0–4 defeat against UTA Arad, ending their six-year stay in the top flight. Gaz Metan had severe financial problems and was repeatedly penalized, finally ending the season only with financial support from the Romanian Football Federation and the Romanian Professional Football League.
The second club to be relegated was Academica Clinceni, which were relegated on 8 April 2022 following their 0–3 defeat against Chindia Târgoviște, ending their three-year stay in the top flight. Academica had also severe financial problems and was repeatedly penalized, also being denied a license for the new season since March 2022.
The third club to be relegated was Dinamo București, which were relegated on 29 May 2022 following their 1–1 draw against Universitatea Cluj in the promotion/relegation play-offs, thus ending their 74-year stay in the top flight. Dinamo is the second most titled club in Romania and relegated for the first time in their history.
Venues
FCSB Universitatea Craiova FCU 1948 Craiova Universitatea Cluj Arena Națională Ion Oblemenco Ion Oblemenco Cluj Arena Capacity: 55,634 Capacity: 30,929 Capacity: 30,929 Capacity: 30,201 CFR Cluj Petrolul Ploiești Chindia Târgoviște Argeș Pitești Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Ilie Oană Eugen Popescu Nicolae Dobrin Capacity: 23,500 Capacity: 15,073 Capacity: 8,400 Capacity: 15,000 Rapid București UTA Arad Rapid Francisc von Neuman Capacity: 14,047 Capacity: 12,700 Mioveni Sepsi OSK Orășenesc Sepsi Arena Capacity: 10,000 Capacity: 8,400 Hermannstadt Botoșani Voluntari Farul Constanța Municipal (Sibiu) Municipal (Botoșani) Anghel Iordănescu Viitorul Capacity: 13,013 Capacity: 7,782 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 Argeș Pitești Costinel Tofan Macron Getica 95 Botoșani Victor Dican Adidas Trutzi, Elsaco CFR Cluj Mário Camora Nike eToro Chindia Târgoviște Cristian Neguț Joma Gias Grafit XPS Farul Constanța Ionuț Larie Nike Petrom FCSB Elias Charalambous Darius Olaru Nike Betano FCU 1948 Craiova Nicolò Napoli Juan Bauza Adidas Craiova Cetatea Banilor Hermannstadt Petrișor Petrescu Nike Unibet Mioveni Adrian Scarlatache Macron - Petrolul Ploiești Valentin Țicu Adidas MRS Residence, La Cocoș Rapid București Cristian Săpunaru Nike Superbet, Mobexpert Sepsi OSK Roland Niczuly Adidas Diószegi, Gyermelyi Universitatea Cluj Alexandru Chipciu Adidas Superbet, IRUM, De'Longhi Universitatea Craiova Nicușor Bancu Puma Betano UTA Arad Alexandru Benga Saller Efbet Voluntari Igor Armaș Nike Metropola TV
Managerial changes
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment UTA Arad End of contract 31 May 2022 Pre-season 2 June 2022 Chindia Târgoviște Mutual agreement 31 May 2022 7 June 2022 FCU 1948 Craiova End of contract 31 May 2022 23 June 2022 Botoșani Mutual agreement 7 June 2022 9 June 2022 Universitatea Craiova 12 June 2022 13 June 2022FCSB Anton PetreaResigned25 July 202212th Nicolae Dică26 July 2022Universitatea Craiova László BalintSacked9 August 20229th Mirel Rădoi9 August 2022Mioveni Alexandru Pelici23 August 202216th Flavius Stoican23 August 2022Universitatea Cluj Erik LincarResigned25 August 202215th Eugen Neagoe25 August 2022Chindia Târgoviște Adrian Mihalcea20 September 202216th Anton Petrea21 September 2022FCU 1948 Craiova Marius CroitoruSacked10 October 202211th Nicolo Napoli9 November 2022Argeș Pitești Andrei Prepeliță24 October 202211th Marius Croitoru26 October 2022UTA Arad Ilie Poenaru1 November 202215th László Balint1 November 2022FCSB Nicolae DicăResigned1 November 20227th Leonard Strizu30 November 2022Mioveni Flavius StoicanSacked1 November 202216th Nicolae Dică14 January 2023Botoșani Mihai TejaResigned10 November 202212th Flavius Stoican10 December 2023Universitatea Craiova Mirel Rădoi7 December 20225th Eugen Neagoe1 January 2023Universitatea Cluj Eugen Neagoe1 January 202314th Ioan Ovidiu Sabău2 January 2023Petrolul Ploiești Nicolae Constantin6 February 20237th Florin Pârvu7 February 2023Argeș Pitești Marius Croitoru7 March 202315th Bogdan Vintilă15 March 2023FCSB Leonard Strizu3 March 20233rd Elias Charalambous30 March 2023UTA Arad László BalintSacked25 April 202214th Mircea Rednic25 April 2023
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 the regular season will meet twice (10 matches per team) for places in 2023–24 UEFA Champions League and 2023–24 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
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
European play-offs In the semi-final, the 7th and 8th-placed teams of the Liga I typically play a one-legged match on the ground of the better placed team (7th place). In the final, the winner of the play-out semi-final will play the highest ranked team of the play-off tournament that did not already qualify for European competitions. The winner of the final will enter the second qualifying round of the 2023–24 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 faced the 3rd and 4th-placed teams of the Liga II.
First leg
Second leg
Season statistics Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Marko DugandžićRapid București222 Andrea CompagnoFCSB / FCU 1948 Craiova203 Sebastian MailatBotoșani164 Denis AlibecFarul Constanța14 Andrei IvanUniversitatea Craiova Daniel ParaschivHermannstadt7 Paul-Arnold GaritaArgeș Pitești128 Vitalie DamașcanVoluntari11 Rangelo JangaCFR Cluj Alexandru TudorieSepsi OSK
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Doru PopadiucChindia TârgovișteVoluntari3–0 (A)22 October 2022 Denis AlibecFarul ConstanțaBotoșani8–0 (H)4 December 2022 Marko DugandžićRapid BucureștiSepsi OSK3–0 (H)20 January 2023 Marko DugandžićRapid BucureștiVoluntari4–1 (H)4 February 2023 Aurelian ChițuFCU 1948 CraiovaUniversitatea Cluj3–1 (A)8 April 2023 Denis AlibecFarul ConstanțaRapid București7–2 (H)6 May 2023
Top assists
Rank Player Club Assists1 Ciprian DeacCFR Cluj112 Alexandru IonițăRapid București103 Florinel ComanFCSB94 Cristian NeguțChindia Târgoviște8 Denis AlibecFarul Constanța6 Adnan AganovićSepsi OSK7 Darius OlaruFCSB Yassine BahassaFCU 1948 Craiova9 Octavian PopescuFCSB6 Marius ȘtefănescuSepsi OSK Juan BauzaFCU 1948 Craiova Cristian ManeaCFR Cluj Constantin BudescuPetrolul Ploiești
Clean sheets
Rank Player Club Clean sheets1 Mihai PopaVoluntari13 Mihai AioaniFarul Constanța3 Horațiu MoldovanRapid București124 Andrei GorceaUniversitatea Cluj11 Roland NiczulySepsi OSK6 Octavian VâlceanuPetrolul Ploiești10 Karlo LeticaHermannstadt8 Eduard PapBotoșani9 Ion GurăuFCU 1948 Craiova Simone ScuffetCFR Cluj
Champion squad Farul ConstanțaGoalkeepers: Mihai Aioani (39 / 0); Alexandru Buzbuchi (1 / 0). Defenders: Rolandas Baravykas (3 / 0); Kévin Boli (13 / 0); Daniel Bîrzu (2 / 0); Radu Boboc (1 / 0); Andrei Borza (33 / 3); Jérémy Corinus (4 / 0); David Kiki (38 / 1); Ionuț Larie (39 / 3); Mihai Popescu (30 / 1); Dan Sîrbu (30 / 0); Gustavo Marins (5 / 0); Sebastian Mladen (4 / 0); Romario Benzar (6 / 0). Midfielders: Andrei Artean (40 / 3); Luca Banu (2 / 0); Tudor Băluță (32 / 6); Carlo Casap (29 / 1); Kevin Doukouré (27 / 1); Constantin Grameni (39 / 6); Robert Ion (3 / 0); Dragoș Nedelcu (29 / 1); Nicolas Popescu (1 / 0); Eduard Radaslavescu (1 / 0). Forwards: Denis Alibec (31 / 14); Luca Andronache (3 / 0); Adrian Mazilu (19 / 6); Vlad Morar (21 / 4); Louis Munteanu (29 / 10); Alexi Pitu (20 / 5); Enes Sali (19 / 2); Alexandru Stoian (1 / 0); Adrian Petre (3 / 2); Mateus Santos (13 / 2); Gabriel Torje (16 / 3). (league appearances and goals listed in brackets)
Manager: Gheorghe Hagi.
Awards Gazeta Sporturilor Monthly Football Awards
Player of the Month YearMonthPlayerNationalityTeam2022JulyMarius ȘtefănescuFWSepsi OSKAugustAndrea CompagnoFWFCU 1948 Craiova / FCSBSeptemberBaba AlhassanMFHermannstadtOctoberDoru PopadiucMFChindia Târgoviște2023FebruaryMalcom EdjoumaMFFCSBMarchAdrian MaziluFWFarul ConstanțaAprilFlorinel ComanFWFCSBMayTudor BăluțăMFFarul Constanta
Manager of the Month YearMonthManagerNationalityTeam2022JulyCristiano BergodiSepsi OSKAugustGheorghe HagiFarul ConstanțaSeptemberMarius MăldărășanuHermannstadtOctoberGheorghe Hagi (2)Farul Constanța2023FebruaryGheorghe Hagi (3)Farul ConstanțaMarchDan PetrescuCFR ClujAprilGheorghe Hagi (4)Farul ConstanțaMayGheorghe Hagi (5)Farul Constanța
Annual awards Award Winner Club Liga I Manager of the Season Gheorghe HagiFarul Constanța Liga I Player of the Season Denis Alibec
Liga I Team of the Season
Attendances # Club Average Highest 1 FCSB 15,485 42,439 2 Universitatea Craiova 11,195 28,000 3 Rapid București 11,054 13,800 4 UTA Arad 7,793 12,500 5 Petrolul Ploiești 6,310 14,500 6 Universitatea Cluj 5,974 24,500 7 FCU 1948 Craiova 5,307 23,211 8 CFR Cluj 5,089 15,000 9 Hermannstadt 3,826 10,722 10 Sepsi OSK 3,818 8,000 11 Farul Constanța 3,031 4,500 12 Argeș Pitești 2,818 7,500 13 Chindia Târgoviște 2,200 8,000 14 Mioveni 1,956 5,850 15 Botoșani 1,540 5,268 16 Voluntari 663 3,500
Source:
References
External links