Timişoara and CFR showing promise

Court ruling
Timişoara have had their share of troubles this season after being docked six points when the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld a FIFA ruling against them in an issue related to their claims to the history and colours of another local side, FC Politehnica Timişoara. However, since that ruling the club have been in splendid form under Czech coach Dušan Uhrin Jr, winning seven games on the bounce prior to a 1-1 draw at FC Farul Constanţa at the weekend.

CFR revived
CFR's results have been less dramatic than Timişoara's, but after an unconvincing start to the season the club have been a different side since Ioan Andone was replaced by his one-time assistant, Maurizio Trombetta. Few outside the club had heard much of Trombetta, but he has his side playing a fluent but pragmatic style of football which has seen them race back into contention for a second successive crown.

Bucharest titans
Dinamo are a point clear of AFC Unirea Urziceni at the top of the table, but this has not been a vintage season for neither they nor third-placed FC Steaua Bucureşti. Even with Romanian internationals Bogdan Lobonţ, Gabriel Tamaş and Marius Niculae on board, Dinamo have struggled to show their title credentials in contests with the stronger sides. Steaua, meanwhile, showed their frailty by bowing out to FC Sportul Studenţesc Bucureşti in the last 32 of the Romanian Cup and are now without a win in their last three league games.

Rapid recovery
They are nonetheless doing a sight better than FC Rapid Bucureşti, who are down in tenth place though a Romanian Cup victory against FC Petrolul Ploiesti and a 4-2 league win against CS Gaz Metan Medias pulled them out of a nosedive. Rapid had been without a win in the previous two months in all competitions, but with just nine points separating them from Dinamo, their chances in this most open of seasons remain decent enough.

Buzău tailspin
The same can hardly be said of FC Gloria Buzău, for whom the only way is surely down. After eleven games they have picked up just one point and are already on to their third coach of the season, with Marian Marinică hoping to have a bit more luck than his predecessors Ştefan Stoica and Álvaro Magalhães. CS Otopeni looked to be plumbing similar depths until 20 September, but having picked up no points in their first seven games, eight from the last four augurs well.