Oțelul Galați appoints Rui Duarte as new head coach

Oțelul Galați has officially appointed Portuguese manager Rui Duarte as their new head coach. Duarte, 48, signs a contract through the end of the current season with an option for a one-year extension. He arrives in Romania following a career in Portugal with clubs such as Farense, Casa Pia, and SC Braga, as well as a recent stint in Brazil with Athletic Club. Duarte will lead a technical staff that includes assistant coach Neca, physical trainer Frederico Carmo, and goalkeeper coach Cristian Moldovan. He noted that English will serve as the official language of communication within the team.

In national team news, former players Ilie Dumitrescu and Adrian Ilie have commented on the performance of the Romanian national team following a 2-4 loss to Bosnia. Dumitrescu expressed confidence in head coach Gică Hagi, suggesting that Hagi will refine his strategy and narrow the squad to a core group of players to improve results in upcoming Nations League fixtures against Poland and Sweden. Adrian Ilie specifically praised defender Andrei Coubiș for his performance during the match.