 EHF Cup countdown, number 2: CS Ştiinţa Municipal Dedeman Bacău (ROU)
CS Ştiinţa Municipal Dedeman Bacău are a new face in the EHF Cup. After three appearances in the EHF Challenge Cup, including the semi-final in 2011, the Romanians qualified for the next level of competition for the first time this season.
And after victories against Ystad from Sweden and Tel Aviv from Israel in Rounds 2 and 3, they have made it to the newly formed Group Phase at the first time of asking.
Coach Eliodor Voica, who is also the coach of the men’s national team, led Bacău to the runner-up spot in the Romanian league, behind perennial champions Constanta last season.
Bacău can count on a well-rehearsed squad, without any star players, but with a huge amount of team spirit.
Their hopes for this season are a second place finish in the Romanian league again, and reaching the quarter-final of the EHF Cup, all of this despite the absence of a key player, Adrian Sipos, who is out for six months through injury.
“We want to finish second in our group,” claims manager, Ioan Ciobanu, and team captain Ionut Rotaru hopes for the “best possible results and qualification for the next stage.” The Bacău squad consists almost entirely out of Romanian players, with the exception of two Hungarians and one Georgian.
Three questions to coach Eliodor Voica:
What are your expectations for the Group Phase of the EHF Cup - concerning your objectives and your group opponents?
Eliodor Voica: I expect spectacular games due to the quality of our opponents.
What does the participation in the Group Phase of the EHF Cup mean to you and your club?
Eliodor Voica: Both for me and for the club this is a debut and very satisfying to be part of this competition.
What teams are your personal favourites to reach the final tournament of the EHF Cup?
Eliodor Voica: Frisch Auf Göppingen, Rhein-Neckar Löwen, Team Tvis Holstebro, SC Magdeburg, HBC Nantes
 CS Ştiinţa Municipal Dedeman Bacău (ROU) - Group D
The road to the Group Phase:
Round 2: 28:24, 23:22 against Ystads IF
Round 3: 33:22, 22:22 against Maccabi Srugo Rishon Lezion
Coach: Eliodor Voica, since 2011
Newcomers: Uelington da Silva Ferreira (Conversano/ITA), Marius Novanc (HCM Constanta), Andrei Paius (Pandurii Targu Jiu), Szilvester Liszkai (MKB Veszprém/HUN), Ionut Georgescu (BM Ciudad Encantada/ESP)
Left the club: Konstyantyn Kyrilenko (Motor Zaporoschje/UKR), Evgeniy Gurkovskiy (Motor Zaporozhye/UKR), Stefan Laufceac (Steaua Bucuresti), Iacob Sandu (HCM Turda)
Biggest successes in EHF European Cup competitions:
EHF Challenge Cup: 3 appearances – semi-finalist 2010/11, quarter-finalist 2008/09, 2009/10
Domestic achievements:
Romanian championship: runners-up 2012
Profiles:
Coach:
Eliodor Voica
Born on 3 March 1973
Voica was a former Dinamo Bucuresti coach, leading the team to third place in the Romanian league, before transferring to Bacău. He is also the Romanian national team coach since January 2012.
Key players
Marius Novanc
Born on 08 November 1980
Marius Novanc is Bacău’s most experienced player. While playing for Steaua MFA București and HCM Constanța, the Romanian line player played both in the EHF Cup Winners’ Cup semifinal and the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase. He was also the National team captain when Romania beat Russia to qualify for the World Championship in 2011.
Radu Cristian Ghiță
Born on 22 November 1990
A right back with a powerful shot, Ghiță is one of the Romanian brightest talents for the coming years. He is only 22 years-old, but has already caused havoc in the opponents’ defences in the previous rounds in this year’s EHF Cup. He is the team’s top scorer with 26 goals in the EHF Cup and he was the Bacău’s top scorer in the last season’s Romanian League, with 156 goals in 26 matches.
Further information
Find more information about CS Ştiinţa Municipal Dedeman Bacău here
The schedule of the Men´s EHF Cup Group Phase can be found here
TEXT: Björn Pazen, Adrian Costeiu / cor
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