David Popa has been named in the starting eleven for FCSB’s match against Hermannstadt. The match is in the final round of the SuperLiga României play-out stage.
Popa’s Surprise Inclusion
The biggest surprise in the FCSB starting lineup is the inclusion of David Popa. The young footballer will play in his preferred position on the right wing of the attack.
This is the first time this season that David Popa is starting for FCSB. He has made six appearances for the club this season, but always as a substitute.
David Popa stood out in a Romanian Cup match against Universitatea Craiova, scoring his first goal for FCSB just four minutes after coming on as a substitute. The score in that match was 2-2.
Popa’s Previous Appearances
The attacker’s first start for the senior team was on 19 May 2024, in a match against Rapid, which FCSB lost 2-0. This was the last match of the play-off stage, with FCSB having already secured the title. Popa was substituted at half-time.
Last season, David Popa played twice in the league for FCSB. He also made one appearance in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, in the match against FCSB – Virtus 4-0, where he provided an assist.
Youth on the Bench
The FCSB bench is almost entirely made up of youth players. Those players include Rareș Andrei, Luca Ilie, Mihai Toma, Ionuț Cercei, Andrei Panait and David Avram. Lukas Zima is the only senior player on the bench.
Becali’s Influence
Gigi Becali was the one who pushed for David Popa’s promotion from the U19 team to the senior team.
The FCSB owner noticed the young footballer in a UEFA Youth League match. The competition was broadcast on Digi Sport channels.
David Popa has played four matches in the European competition and has scored four goals. He scored twice against Lokomotiv Zagreb and twice against Academia Pușkaș.
The Hermannstadt – FCSB match can be watched live on Digi Sport 1.