Capital gets punishment in Romania

Romanian fans have been disappointed by local failures in Europe, but the Liga 1 season is at least lifting spirits with the big Bucharest sides underperforming.

Colours lowered
UEFA Champions League challengers FC Steaua Bucureşti are the country's sole survivors in European competition following early UEFA Cup exits for FC Otelul Galati, CFR 1907 Cluj, FC Dinamo 1948 Bucureşti and FC Rapid Bucureşti. Yet if concerns have been raised about the effect this will have on the nation's UEFA ranking, the big story at home is the absence of Bucharest teams from the league's top four.

Provincial uprising
Fifth-placed Rapid and Steaua, in sixth, can climb the table by winning their game in hand, but for now the backwoods revolt is in full swing. Cluj lead the way ahead of AFC Unirea Valahorum Urziceni, FC Politehnica 1921 Ştiinţa Timişoara and SC Vaslui. A first provincial champion since FC Universitatea Craiova in 1991 is not out of the question.

Big investment
The success of these less celebrated sides is no huge surprise. With solid investment, they have hired big-name coaches and quality players. With Romania having earned two UEFA Champions League places for the 2008/09 season, the stakes are high and the competition to be among the European places come the end of the campaign will be fiercer than ever.

Bottom spot
The competition at the wrong end of the rankings has been less impressive. FC Universitatea Cluj are the only team yet to win a match – which has prompted coach Adrian Falub, general manager Alin Banceu and president Lucian Danciu to resign. FCM UTA Arad have also lost their coach with Marius Lacatus stepping down. They are 13th in the 18-club Liga.