FC Timisoara in profile

19 August 2010 09:18
| Submit Comments| Comments (22)| Printable Version1/1Play SlideshowClose MapFC Timisoara's ground, the Dan Paltinisanu StadiumManchester City's European opponents Timisoara have spent as much time in the courtroom as they have on the pitch in the last ten years, in a bitter struggle over their identity. Timisoara are now in their third home, having begun life in southern Romania as Fulgerul Bragadiru. After two rapid promotions from the third division, owner and former Romania defender Anton Dobos shifted them to Bucharest. He renamed them AEK Bucharest, in honour of his former club AEK Athens. But 250 miles to the west in the university city of Timisoara, trouble was brewing at the old Politehnica Timisoara club,  formed in 1921. Their owner , Italian businessman Claudio Zambon, was frustrated at low attendances, and he also shifted the club to the crowded capital, much to the annoyance of the ?Poli? fans. Their club had been a stalwart of the Romanian league, reaching six domestic cup finals and crossing swords with the likes of West Ham and Celtic in European competition in the 1980s. Dobos saw a gap in the market and shifted AEK back into the vacuum left by Poli. He was clearly the shrewder of the two owners as crowds increased dramatically. The original Poli struggled to compete in Bucharest and drifted into the fourth division.  But Zambon still managed to throw a spanner in the works of the new Timisoara club, claiming they had no right to adopt the identity and honours list of Poli. The Timisoara fans, who had welcomed the new club with open arms and resented the defection of Zambon, took to the streets in protest. But Zambon won his case and around £80,000 in compensation, in 2007, with the new club forced to change their crest and club colours. The fans went wild, 10,000 of them marching through the streets to protest at the decision and when, the following year, Timisoara were docked six points for failing to fully comply with the ruling, the fans had to be dispersed by police using tear gas. They finally won their case, having the six points reinstated, which leapfrogged them into second place and a place in the 2008-09 Champions League qualifiers. They responded with one of the best results in their history, knocking out reigning UEFA Cup holders Shakhtar Donetsk, before succumbing to Stuttgart in the play-off round. But the team which shocked Donetsk has broken up, striker Gheorghe Bucur joining the exodus to Russian football, and Armenian twins Arman and Artavazd Karamyan joining big-city club Steaua Bucharest. As a result, Timisoara only just sneaked into the Europa League, finishing fifth in the league. They also made hard work of reaching the play-off round, where they meet City. Their star names are Romania international goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon, who was closely watched by United and Inter Milan a couple of seasons ago, and midfielder Alex Bourceanu, known as the Romanian Gattuso. But, apart from Pantilimon, they currently have no players in the Romania squad and have started the season poorly. What do you think? Have your say.| Submit Comments| Comments (22)| Printable VersionAdd A CommentEnter your comments:Sending

Source: Man_City