Romania is bracing up for EURO 2016

In the opening game at EURO 2016 this coming Friday, Romania is taking on the national team of the host country, France.

Florentin Căpitănescu, 07.06.2016, 14:11

Unassuming optimism and fated pessimism. These are the feelings with which Romanian football fans await the national squad’s debut fixture at EURO 2016. A privilege for some and a spell of bad luck for others, in the European Championship’s opening match in Paris this coming Friday, Romania goes against the team of the host country, France, which is still a powerhouse and a much- feared opponent for any of the teams competing for EURO 2016.

Some time ago, even Romanian national team’s experienced coach, Anghel Iordanescu, who was declared the Romanian football manager of the 20th century, made a clean breast out of the fact that he would have liked to skip a match against France at EURO 2016, at any rate, not as a debut fixture for his lineup, and not as an opening game at EURO 2016.

Rated as the minnows for the match against France, Romanian footballers assured everyone they would play their chance to the full, in a game where ambition is likely to bridge the gap in terms of value between the two teams. For the game against France, the high motivational tension is obvious, according to the captain of the Romanian team, Vlad Chiriches, a defender for Italy’s vice-champion Naples. Chiriches admitted the match against France was the most important game of his career, being equally important to the great majority of Romania’s regulars, footballers, who, save for very few exceptions, are in a satisfactory condition ahead of the game against France.

In addition to Vlad Chiriches, Spanish team Cordoba striker Florin Andone, who was also the goal getter of the Spanish Second Division, as well as the striker of the domestic champion team Astra Giurgiu, Denis Alibec had minor health problems, but their condition does in no way hinder their presence among Romania’s lineup for the match against France.

With France ranking as favorite to winning the group, Romania will try to edge out its challenger teams, Switzerland and Albania, as our national squad’s fixtures against the two teams are scheduled also in Paris on June 15 and in Lyon on June 19, respectively. Sports pundits say the two teams can be defeated, roughly standing on a par with Romania, provided favorable circumstances or the inspiration of a split second can make the difference between the satisfaction or the dismay of the Romanian national football team’s fans. And we mean the fans who, following an eight-year gap, have the chance to encourage the national squad in a final tournament, in this case at the European Championship.

All throughout the competition, 20 policemen whom the Romanian Interior Ministry has posted in France, will offer assistance to their French colleagues, if they must sort out legal matters where Romanian citizens may be involved. Joining them are nine gendarmes who will contribute to maintaining public order for Romanian fans who may be in the stands at EURO 2016.