Hirschfeld to help Cluj ambition

Romanian league leaders CFR 1907 Cluj are determined to make an impression in the UEFA Champions League should they qualify next season, and have taken their foreign player count to 20 by signing Canada goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld.

Experience
The 29-year-old, who has signed a contract until summer 2011 after a €1.2m move from Rosenborg BK, was first choice for the Norwegian team in the UEFA Champions League group stage this autumn, playing in their 1-1 draw at Chelsea FC and in both 2-0 wins against Valencia CF. Such experience brought Hirschfeld to the attention of CFR, who lead second-placed FC Rapid Bucureşti by five points at the winter break and will go straight into the UEFA Champions League if they win the Liga 1.

Ambition
Cluj executive president Iuliu Muresan said: "We insisted on this player. We wanted him because he has plenty of Champions League experience and I am sure that he will help us win the title and not make fools of ourselves in the Champions League. We want to compete for the title each year and to play an important role in the Champions League."

Portuguese flavour
Meanwhile, relegation-threatened CS Pandurii Lignitul Târgu Jiu have taken a leaf out of Cluj's book by adding a Portuguese flavour to their club. Not only have they appointed former Portugal coach Joaquim Teixeira to the helm in place of Eugen Neagoe, they have also signed seven players from the Portuguese Liga.