CFR Cluj prepares to host Paksi in the Europa League first qualifying round second leg on July 17, with the first match in Hungary having ended in a 0-0 stalemate. The Hungarian coach Gyorgy Bognar acknowledged CFR Cluj as a top-tier team, likely to finish in Hungary’s top three if they played there, and highlighted their quality wing players that could challenge his defense early on. He also stated Paksi intends to be more offensive than in the first leg, aiming to break the deadlock in Gruia.
For CFR Cluj, a victory means progressing to face Swiss side FC Lugano in the next round, while elimination would relegate them to the Conference League second qualifying round against Slovenia’s NK Maribor. The stakes are high as CFR Cluj has no margin for error and must advance to maintain their European ambitions this season.
The match kicks off at 20:30 and will be broadcast live on Prima Sport 1 and Digi Sport 1, with live-text coverage available on GSP.ro[1][2][3].
This tie underscores CFR’s push to sustain Romania’s strong presence in continental competitions, with head coach Dan Petrescu emphasizing qualification as the only acceptable outcome.