CFR Cluj, Romania’s Cup holders, began their 2025-26 Europa League campaign with a challenging away match against Hungary’s Paksi, drawing 0-0 in the first leg of the preliminary round. This fixture marks the 11th European knockout tie between Romanian and Hungarian clubs, with Romanian teams historically dominant, having won six out of ten previous encounters and not losing to Hungarian sides in such ties since 1978[4][1].
The match was keenly anticipated as Paksi are a physically strong and tactically aggressive side, securing third place in Hungary’s top division and back-to-back Hungarian Cup victories. Dan Petrescu, CFR’s coach, expressed concern over his squad’s current fitness and late arrivals in pre-season, emphasizing the need for top form to secure qualification[3].
The stalemate leaves the tie wide open ahead of the return leg in Cluj, where CFR will aim to uphold Romania’s longstanding positive record against Hungarian opposition in European competitions. This result also underscores the increasing competitiveness of both leagues and the importance of preparation in early European fixtures.