Steaua Bucharest embarked on their summer training camp on Monday, July 7, heading to Bansko, Bulgaria, where they will stay until July 18. Under the guidance of coach Daniel Oprița, the squad will engage in four friendly matches against teams primarily from the second divisions of Georgia and Bulgaria, aiming to build cohesion ahead of the new season in Romania’s Liga 2.
The 20-player roster traveling to Bulgaria includes three goalkeepers—Horia Iancu, Adrian Frănculescu, and Ianis Pletea—and 17 outfield players such as recent signings Mihai Adăscăliței, Ștefan Pacionel, Ianis Doană, Andrei Lascu, Mario Ioniță, Alex Gualda, and Ruben Lopez. Frănculescu’s loan from CFR Cluj has also been extended as part of the squad’s reinforcement.
Steaua’s friendly fixtures in Bulgaria are scheduled as follows:
– July 9: vs. FC Samtredia (Georgia, Liga 2)
– July 12: vs. FC Hebar Pazardzhik (Bulgaria, Liga 2)
– July 15: vs. Marek Dupnitsa (Bulgaria, Liga 2)
– July 17: Opponent to be confirmed
These matches will provide crucial opportunities for Oprița to integrate new players and test tactical setups against competitive opposition from similar tiers abroad.
The camp comes after Steaua’s pre-camp preparations in Romania, including a narrow 4-3 friendly victory over CS Afumați. The club has undergone significant changes this summer, parting ways with key players such as Rareș Enceanu, Mihai Kereki, David Matei, and others, while focusing on squad renewal to enhance their promotion ambitions.
This intensive camp and series of friendlies represent a vital phase for Steaua as they seek to gel quickly and build momentum for the upcoming Liga 2 campaign.