CFR Cluj appoints Marius Șumudică as head coach amid financial struggles

CFR Cluj Marius Șumudică SuperLiga Romanian football financial crisis

CFR Cluj has appointed Marius Șumudică as head coach for a second term, signing a contract valid until the summer of 2027. Șumudică replaces Antonio Folha following the club's exit from the Conference League after losses to Tromso.

The appointment comes amid significant institutional challenges. Club owner Ioan Varga has denied rumors of insolvency, promising to resolve financial issues within two weeks. However, the club faces mounting pressure as veteran midfielder Damjan Djokovic has filed a memorandum with FIFA regarding unpaid wages and seeking contract termination.

On the pitch, Șumudică faces immediate tactical hurdles, including a weakened defense following the loss of key central defenders. To address this, the coach has requested 3-4 new signings, ideally through loan deals to manage costs. The club's recent European exit and domestic struggles have left the squad in a period of transition.

Entities

Adrian Mutu · Antonio Folha · CFR Cluj · Damjan Djokovic · Ioan Varga · Marian Copilu · Marius Șumudică · Neluțu Varga

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 2 SOURCES] Mutu's most recent coaching role was at Petrolul, which ended in March 2025.
[● 2 SOURCES] Zeljko Kopic and Leo Grozavu were also on the shortlist for the CFR Cluj coaching position.
[● 2 SOURCES] Adrian Mutu has reached a verbal agreement to become the new head coach of CFR Cluj.
[● 2 SOURCES] CFR Cluj owner Neluţu Varga sought Marius Şumudică as a replacement for Antonio Folha, but negotiations failed.
[● 2 SOURCES] Antonio Folha was dismissed by CFR Cluj following a 0-5 loss to Tromso in the Conference League qualifiers.
[● 2 SOURCES] Adrian Mutu previously coached CFR Cluj from January to April 2024.