Universitatea Craiova
- Craiova are the best team in the Romanian SuperLiga, with around 46 points, and have been in blistering form since the winter break.
- Universitatea Craiova are the bookmaker's choice for Thursday’s Romanian Cup clash with FCSB, but it’s very tight indeed with the White and Blues rated 2.18 as opposed to the visitors at 3.14 with a draw priced at 3.1.
- Filipe Coelho’s men have been fantastic since the coach’s appointment in November, tightening up at the back and bringing an intensity and energy to the field that has produced a complete turnaround in results.
- They have smashed Csikszereda 5-0, Petrolul 4-0 in the Cupa României and Botoșani 2-0 in the league since the start of the calendar year, although a defeat at Farul remains the only blip in that record.
FCSB
FCSB have been erratic in form, suffering some frustrating defeats, struggling with squad rotation and facing dressing room tensions.
Universitatea Craiova
- Monday Etim has been excellent in attack, providing a clinical edge in front of goal and registering some crucial goals since the season turned.
- David Matei and Assad Al Hamlawi have also chipped in during the winter fixtures while Alexandru Cicâldău has been the creative spark that the team has needed in the middle of the park, creating as many goals as he has scored himself with a recent strike at Botoșani a prime example of the type of goal he has added to the side’s armoury.
FCSB
- Octavian Popescu is the creative hub of FCSB and a quality provider in the final third, but Denis Alibec remains their main goal threat and provides the club with some experience up front.
- David Miculescu and Baba Alhassan have featured in recent games, but neither has found his best form yet.
Head-to-Head
FCSB have won three of the last five head-to-heads in all competitions, but each match has been a tight affair with low scores and small margins.
Betting Insights
Given recent tight, low-scoring head-to-heads and the defensive records of both teams, the Under 2.5 goals line at 1.69 looks like a sensible option.
Prediction
As this is a match that should be on a knife edge, there is enough of a gap in the odds to make the hosts the selection here with FCSB coming into this clash on the back of a couple of disappointing results and in a state of flux.
