Two left out as Romania muster
Monday, May 19, 2008
Article summary
Laurentiu Roşu and George Ogăraru are the only notable absentees from a provisional Romania squad which has already commenced pre-finals preparations.
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Notable absentees
AFC Ajax right-back Ogăraru misses the boat after dropping out of first-team reckoning at his club in recent months, while RC Recreativo de Huelva midfielder Roşu has also been ruled out after failing to recover his best form following his return from injury. Former Romania Under-21 stars Cosmin Moţi, Ciprian Deac and Cristian Săpunaru have been given a chance to impress.
Informal gathering
Victor Piţurcă's squad has already started to gather, with 14 players who play their club football in Romania – as well as Florentin Petre and Paul Codrea – coming together for an informal camp in Turkey, where they trained but also relaxed with their families. The full 26-man squad will meet up on 22 May at the Mogosoaia training centre to start their preparations in earnest.
Final schedule
The squad must be cut down to 23 players by 28 May, and Romania will then play a friendly game against Montenegro at the Steaua Stadium in Bucharest on 31 May before travelling to their tournament base in St Gallen on 2 June. Their Group C campaign kicks off with a game against France in Zurich on 9 June, and they then face Italy on 13 June and the Netherlands four days later.
Romania squad
Goalkeepers: Bogdan Lobonţ (FC Dinamo 1948 Bucureşti), Dănut Coman (FC Rapid Bucuresti), Marius Popa (FC Politehnica 1921 Ştiinta Timişoara).
Defenders: Cosmin Contra (Getafe CF), Cristian Săpunaru (FC Rapid Bucureşti), Sorin Ghionea (FC Steaua Bucuresti), Dorin Goian (FC Steaua Bucuresti), Cosmin Moti (FC Dinamo Bucureşti), Gabriel Tamaş (AJ Auxerre), Răzvan Raţ (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Ştefan Radu (S.S. Lazio).
Midfielders: Florentin Petre (PFC CSKA Sofia), Banel Nicoliţă (FC Steaua Bucureşti), Răzvan Cociş (FC Lokomotiv Moskva), Paul Codrea (AC Siena), Cristian Chivu (FC Internazionale Milano), Mirel Rădoi (FC Steaua Bucureşti), Nicolae Dică (FC Steaua Bucureşti), Ovidiu Petre (FC Steaua Bucureşti), Adrian Cristea (FC Dinamo 1948 Bucureşti), Ciprian Deac (CFR 1907 Cluj).
Forwards: Adrian Mutu (ACF Fiorentina), Ciprian Marica (VfB Stuttgart), Marius Niculae (Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC), Daniel Niculae (AJ Auxerre), Florin Bratu (FC Dinamo 1948 Bucureşti).