Universitatea Craiova trio skip handshake ahead of Champions League match vs Belarus

Three Universitatea Craiova players – defender Oleksandr Romanchuk, midfielder Anzor Mekvabishvili and forward Samuel Teles – refused to shake hands with opponents from ML Vitebsk before their UEFA Champions League preliminary match in Mezokovesd, Hungary. Their protest cited the war in Ukraine and Belarus' support for Russia.

The same fixture saw Romanian defender Adrian Rus receive news of a contract extension with the club until 2027 and being named "Tricolorul" of the month by fans. The match, part of the first leg of the Champions League qualifiers, highlighted both the team's on‑field preparations and off‑field political statements.