Universitatea Craiova has officially announced the revival of its satellite team, which will compete in Liga 3 starting this autumn, with home games to be played in the city of Caracal. This move marks a significant step in restoring football traditions in a city that has lacked national-level representation since 2013, when FC Caracal folded while competing in Liga 3.
The club’s leadership aims not only to provide competitive playing opportunities for squad members not featuring regularly in the first team but also to spearhead a broader campaign to revitalize football across the Oltenia region. This initiative includes engaging local youth talent and strengthening the sport’s grassroots presence in an area with a rich football heritage.
Corneliu Papură, a former head coach of Universitatea Craiova’s senior team and recent winner of the Romanian Youth Cup and Youth Supercup with the club’s under-19 squad, will take charge as head coach of the satellite team. His appointment underscores the club’s commitment to nurturing young talent while blending experience into the squad.
To build a competitive side aiming for promotion to Liga 2, Universitatea Craiova has reinforced the satellite team with four experienced players, complementing the promising young talents who will be allocated from the first team by Mirel Rădoi. Among these signings are midfielder David Sala and forward Alexandru Ionuț Popescu, both of whom have previously been part of the club’s second team and had stints close to the senior squad. Additionally, defender Francois Yabre, a 30-year-old with a diverse background including Norwegian lower leagues and Romanian Liga 2 experience, and left-back Abel Folha, a 25-year-old Portuguese player with recent Liga 2 appearances, have joined the squad.
The satellite team’s preparations will commence in about a week, following the final decisions by Rădoi on which younger players will not be retained in the first team. This strategic blend of youth and experience reflects Universitatea Craiova’s ambition not only to maintain player development internally but also to establish a formidable presence in Liga 3 capable of challenging for promotion.
The choice of Caracal as the satellite team’s base is significant, as the city’s “Parc” stadium has not hosted national-level football for over a decade. Local authorities have pledged full support for the project, including providing infrastructure and facilitating access to a new sports complex currently under construction. This partnership aims to breathe new life into Caracal’s football scene and create a sustainable platform for the sport’s growth in the region.
This strategic revival of Universitatea Craiova’s satellite team and its integration with regional development plans highlight the club’s forward-looking approach, potentially setting a model for other Romanian clubs balancing competitiveness with community engagement.