U Cluj captain Alex Chipciu urges team forward after Supercupa loss; player Issouf Macalou targeted with racist abuse

Universitatea Cluj lost the Romanian Supercupa to Universitatea Craiova after a 1‑1 draw and a 5‑3 defeat in the penalty shoot‑out. Captain Alex Chipciu told teammates that the defeat should not be seen as a failure, saying “we must appreciate moments when you don’t win” and stressing that the real challenge lies in the upcoming UEFA Europa League tie with Dinamo Kiev.

After missing the decisive penalty, U Cluj forward Issouf Macalou received a flood of abusive messages, including racial slurs and threats such as “Să îţi iau *** şi ţie şi la tot neamul tău ***.” The club confirmed the messages were posted on Instagram and later removed, highlighting a growing concern over racism in Romanian football.