AFC Metalul Buzău

AFC Metalul Buzău
Full nameAsociația Fotbal Club Metalul Buzău
Nickname(s)Buzoienii
(The People from Buzău)
Short nameMetalul
Founded1954; 70 years ago (1954)
as AS Metalul Buzău
GroundMetalul
Capacity1,573
OwnersBuzău County Council
Mircea Benga
ChairmanGheorghe Guiu
Head coachValentin Stan
LeagueLiga II
2023–24Liga III, Seria II, 1st
(promoted via play-offs)
Websitewww.metalulbuzau.ro

Asociația Fotbal Club Metalul Buzău, commonly known as Metalul Buzău, is a Romanian professional football club based in the city of Buzău, Buzău County, that competes in the Liga II.

History

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Name Period
Metalul Buzău 1954–1996
Metalcord Buzău 1996–2007
Metalul Buzău 2007–present

AFC Metalul Buzău was founded in 1954 as AS Metalul Buzău and was set up by the trade union of IUT Buzău. From the first season to the 1966 season, the team evolved into the county championship and in autumn of 66, the city of Buzău returned with a team in Divizia C, this team was Metalul.

In 1971, through a reorganization of the football from Buzău, Gloria Buzău was formed and taking a part of Metalul's players and the place in Divizia C, Gloria succeeded in the 1971–72 Divizia C season to occupy the 1st place in the series and after a play-off match at Ploiești to promote in Divizia B.

At the insistence of the workers from the IUT factory, in 1982 the football team was re-established. At that time Steaua Săhăteni, a small team from Buzău County played in Divizia C. Buzoienii merged with the team from Săhăteni and took its place in Liga III.

In 1996, following the association with CORD Buzău, Metalul became Metalcord Buzău. The last edition in which the team from Buzău evolved in the Liga III under this name was 2005–06 Divizia C season.

In the summer of 2007, the club returned to its former name AS Metalul Buzău and participated annually in the Buzău County Championship, the equivalent of the Liga IV in the Romanian football system.

The team was taken over in 2013 by the company Revicom Oil, changing its name in AFC Metalul Buzău.[1]

At the end of 2016–17 Metalul won Liga IV – Buzău County and the promotion play-off match against CS Amara, the Ialomița County champion, 9–2 on aggregate and promoted back to Liga III after 10 years of absence.[2]

In the 2019–20 season, Metalul achieved the club's best performance in Cupa României when reached Round of 16, after winning against Avântul Zărnești (3–0 by FA decision; 2nd Round), Gloria Buzău (3–2 after pen.; 3rd Round), CSM Focșani (1–0 a.e.t.; 4th Round), FK Miercurea Ciuc (1–0; Round of 32) and losing to Politehnica Iași (0–3; Round of 16).

Stadium

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The club plays its home matches on Metalul Stadium from Buzău.

Rivalries

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Although it is the oldest active football club in the Buzău County, Metalul has always lived in the shadow of Gloria Buzău, thus becoming their rivals.

Honours

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Liga III

Liga IV – Buzău County

Ploiești Regional Championship

Players

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First team squad

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As of 4 November 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Romania ROU Costel Toader
2 DF Romania ROU Claudiu Juncănaru
3 DF Romania ROU Daniel Mihai (Vice-captain)
4 DF Romania ROU Alberto Olaru
5 DF Romania ROU Ion Spătaru
6 MF Romania ROU Vasile Petra
8 MF Romania ROU Dan Stan
9 FW Romania ROU Ionuț Pelivan (on loan from Farul Constanța)
10 MF Romania ROU Marius Tudorică (Captain)
11 FW Romania ROU Sabin Moldovan
13 DF Romania ROU Ianis Croitoru (on loan from Farul Constanța)
14 MF Romania ROU Alexandru Anton
15 DF Romania ROU Ciprian Perju
17 MF Romania ROU Florin Opaiț
18 DF Romania ROU Răzvan Radu (on loan from FCSB)
19 DF Romania ROU Ștefan Păun
20 FW Romania ROU Dragoş Lazăr (on loan from Gloria Buzău)
21 MF Romania ROU Alexandru Oancea
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 GK Romania ROU Alberto Câșlariu
23 DF Romania ROU Marian Manea (3rd captain)
24 MF Togo TOG Charles Acolatse
25 GK Romania ROU Iulian Dinu
27 FW Nigeria NGA Odoh Chika
28 MF Romania ROU Valentin Robu
30 MF Switzerland SUI Davide Jozić
33 DF Romania ROU Bogdan Panaite
44 GK Romania ROU George Micle
70 MF Romania ROU Alin Manea
77 DF Romania ROU Eduard Rusu (on loan from CS Dinamo București)
97 MF Romania ROU Alin Nica
98 MF Romania ROU Saim Tudor
99 MF Romania ROU Claudiu Borțoneanu
DF Cameroon CMR Karime Makongo
MF Romania ROU Robert Vîlcu (on loan from UTA Arad)
FW Romania ROU Matei Constantinescu

Out on loan

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
DF Romania ROU Andrei Trandafir (on loan to Viitorul Ianca)
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF Romania ROU Alexandru Sandu (on loan to Petrolul Berca)

Club officials

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Notable former players

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The footballers enlisted below have had international cap(s) for their respective countries at junior and/or senior level and/or significant caps for AFC Metalul Buzău.

Romania

League history

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References

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  1. ^ Metalul Buzău-History[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Metalul a promovat oficial în "C". Neagu face promisiuni în privința viitorului echipei" [Metalul officially promoted to "C". Neagu makes promises about the team's future]. buzau.net. 25 June 2017. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.(in Romanian)
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