Deva stating European intentions

With the Elite round of the UEFA Futsal Cup to take place from 4 December, uefa.com is taking a closer look at each of the 16 sides involved. Today we begin our analysis of Group B, perhaps the toughest of the four pools, with a profile of the Romanian underdogs CIP Deva, who must take on hosts and two-time finalists MFK Dinamo Moskva, plus two teams that have reached the last four, FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Sporting Clube de Portugal.

Ambition
Deva are ambitious to succeed and have come a long way since their foundation in 2002, though Romanian futsal itself is still in its infancy compared to the standard seen in traditional strongholds Russia, Ukraine and Portugal. In just their second season, Deva finished league runners-up behind Bodu Bucuresti in 2003/04 and repeated the trick a year later, with AS Odorheiu Secuiesc taking the title.

Investment pays off
In 2005/06, however, Deva emerged on top to earn a UEFA Futsal Cup debut, reward for the investment from their three backers, who have made them the richest club in the league. Deva players dominate the Romania squad, supplying six of the most recent 12-man squad; captain Robert Lupu, goalkeeper Marian Juverdean, Gabriel Dobre, Robert Matei, Cosmin Gherman and Gabriel Molomfalean. Ion Al-Ioani and Ioan Tiberiu Magurean also appear regularly for Romania.

Coaching change
Their resources also allowed Deva to appoint a foreign coach in January 2006 in the shape of experienced Portuguese trainer Artur Fernando dos Santos Melo. Having helped them clinch the championship, he left on the eve of their European debut and was replaced by his 38-year-old assistant Karoly Gaspari, who played in the second and third divisions for Deva's football team.

European debut
Playing their UEFA Futsal Cup Main round matches in their own town's 1,200-capacity Sports Hall, Deva attracted an aggregate attendance of 3,000 for their three matches as they recovered from losing 3-2 to Dutch champions FC Marlène Kras Ster, a game the home side had led 2-0, to defeat Slovenian representatives KMN GIB Beton MTO Zagorje 6-3 and KMF Marbo Beograd 3-2, Lupu striking twice late on with the score still at 1-1. As Beograd had beaten Marlène 5-2, Deva finished second ahead of the team from the Netherlands in a three-way tie-break. The Elite round will present an even more formidable challenge in Moscow, but since Deva have won all their nine league games this season, scoring 63 goals, they are in the right form.