Romanian football club Universitatea Craiova has announced the reestablishment of its satellite team, which will compete in Liga 3 starting this autumn, with home matches set to be played in Caracal. This move marks a significant effort by the Oltenian club to rejuvenate football traditions in a city that has been absent from national-level football for over a decade.
The decision to base the satellite team in Caracal aims to restore the city’s football heritage, last represented nationally in 2013 when FC Caracal dissolved. Local authorities have pledged full support by providing access to the historic “Parc” Stadium and are currently developing a new sports facility that will further benefit the team.
Corneliu Papură, who previously managed Universitatea Craiova’s youth squad to victories in the Romanian U-19 Cup and Supercup last season, will take charge of the second team. His appointment underscores the club’s commitment to blending youth development with competitive ambition.
To build a competitive side capable of contending for promotion back to Liga 2, Craiova has reinforced the squad with four new signings, including experienced players and former satellite team members David Sala and Alexandru Ionuț Popescu. Other recruits include central defender Francois Yabre, a Burkina Faso-born player with Norwegian citizenship, and Portuguese left-back Abel Folha. This mix is designed to provide balance and maturity alongside the talented youngsters not currently in the first-team plans of head coach Mirel Rădoi.
Preparations for the satellite team’s campaign will commence shortly, once Rădoi finalizes which young players will be assigned to the second team. This relaunch not only strengthens Universitatea Craiova’s player development pathway but also promises to revive football enthusiasm in the Oltenia region, particularly in Caracal, where national-level football has been dormant for over a decade.