The 2018–19 Liga I (also known as Liga 1 Betano for sponsorship reasons) was the 101st season of the Liga I, the top professional league for Romanian association football clubs. The season began on 20 July 2018 and ended on 2 June 2019, being the fourth to take place since the play-off/play-out rule has been introduced.

Dunărea Călărași and Hermannstadt joined as the promoted clubs from the 2017–18 Liga II. CFR Cluj managed to defend the title for the first time in their history, while FCSB became the first team in the country to finish as runners-up for four consecutive seasons.[1]

Teams

The league consists of 14 teams: twelve teams from the 2017–18 Liga I and two new teams from the 2017–18 Liga II.

Teams promoted to the Liga I

The first club to be promoted was Dunărea Călărași, following their 3–1 win against Ripensia Timișoara on 5 May 2018. Dunărea will play in the Liga I for the first time in their history.[2]

The second club to be promoted was Hermannstadt, following their 1–1 draw against Chindia Târgoviște on 13 May 2018. Hermannstadt will play in the Liga I for the first time in their history, but the city of Sibiu, which had many different teams over time, returned in the Liga I after six years of absence, where was last time represented by Voința Sibiu.[3]

Teams relegated to the Liga II

The first club to be relegated was Juventus București, which were relegated on 22 May 2018 following a 1–3 defeat against Concordia Chiajna, ending their 1-year stay in the top flight.[4]

The second club to be relegated was Poli Timișoara, which were relegated on 2 June 2018 following their 1–0 win against Concordia Chiajna, ending their 3-year stay in the top flight.[5]

Venues

FCSB Universitatea Craiova CFR Cluj Dinamo București
Arena Națională Ion Oblemenco Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Dinamo
Capacity: 55,634 Capacity: 30,929 Capacity: 23,500 Capacity: 15,032
Politehnica Iași
Location of Bucharest teams.
 Dunărea Călărași
Emil Alexandrescu Ion Comșa
Capacity: 11,390 Capacity: 10,400
Astra Giurgiu Gaz Metan Mediaș
Marin Anastasovici Gaz Metan
Capacity: 8,500 Capacity: 7,814
FC Botoșani Sepsi OSK
Municipal Municipal
Capacity: 7,782 Capacity: 5,200
Concordia Chiajna Hermannstadt[i] Voluntari Viitorul Constanța
Concordia Municipal Anghel Iordănescu Viitorul
Capacity: 5,123 Capacity: 5,000 Capacity: 4,600 Capacity: 4,554
  1. ↑ Hermannstadt was relocated to Trans-Sil Stadium in Târgu Mureș between round 1 and round 24 and to Nicolae Dobrin Stadium in Pitești between round 24 and round 8 of the play-out, because Municipal Stadium in Sibiu was under renovations.

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Astra Giurgiu Romania Costel Enache Croatia Filip Mrzljak Joma —
Botoșani Romania Liviu Ciobotariu Romania Andrei Burcă Erreà Casa Pariurilor
CFR Cluj Romania Dan Petrescu Portugal Mário Camora Joma NTT Data
Concordia Chiajna Romania Adrian Falub Romania Marian Cristescu Lotto —
Dinamo București Romania Mircea Rednic Romania Dan Nistor Macron Orange
Dunărea Călărași Romania Dan Alexa Romania Alin Dobrosavlevici Acerbis Fortuna
FCSB Romania Mihai Teja Romania Mihai Pintilii Nike City Insurance
Gaz Metan Mediaș Romania Edward Iordănescu Romania Marius Constantin Joma Romgaz
Hermannstadt Hungary Vasile Miriuță Romania Răzvan Dâlbea Andu Primăria Sibiu
Politehnica Iași Romania Flavius Stoican Romania Cosmin Frăsinescu Joma Superbet
Sepsi OSK Romania Marin Barbu Romania Attila Hadnagy Adidas Diószegi, Gyermelyi
Universitatea Craiova Romania Corneliu Papură Romania Nicușor Bancu Joma Betano.com
Viitorul Constanța Romania Gheorghe Hagi Romania Ianis Hagi Nike —
Voluntari Italy Cristiano Bergodi Romania Cosmin Vâtcă Macron Winner

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Astra Romania Gheorghe Mulțescu End of contract 31 May 2018[6] Pre-season Romania Marius Măldărășanu 10 June 2018[7]
CFR Cluj Romania Dan Petrescu Signed by Guizhou Hengfeng 4 June 2018[8] Pre-season Romania Edward Iordănescu 13 June 2018[9]
Voluntari Romania Adrian Mutu Sacked 14 June 2018[10] Pre-season Romania Daniel Oprița 21 June 2018[11]
Gaz Metan Romania Cristian Pustai End of contract 30 June 2018[12] Pre-season Romania Mihai Teja 1 July 2018[13]
CFR Cluj Romania Edward Iordănescu Mutual agreement 26 July 2018[14] 8 Portugal Toni Conceição 26 July 2018[15]
Voluntari Romania Daniel Oprița Resigned 21 August 2018[16] 14 Romania Dinu Todoran 25 August 2018[17]
Astra Romania Marius Măldărășanu Sacked 2 September 2018[18] 4 Romania Gheorghe Mulțescu 2 September 2018[19]
Concordia Romania Ionuț Badea Mutual agreement 15 September 2018[20] 13 Romania Dorinel Munteanu 17 September 2018[21]
Dinamo Romania Florin Bratu Mutual agreement 22 September 2018[22] 10 Romania Claudiu Niculescu 24 September 2018[23]
Hermannstadt Romania Alexandru Pelici Mutual agreement 9 October 2018[24] 13 Hungary Vasile Miriuță 9 October 2018[25]
Dinamo Romania Claudiu Niculescu Mutual agreement 13 October 2018[26] 12 Romania Mircea Rednic 13 October 2018[27]
Voluntari Romania Dinu Todoran Mutual agreement 7 November 2018 14 Italy Cristiano Bergodi 8 November 2018[28]
Astra Romania Gheorghe Mulțescu Sacked 10 November 2018[29] 6 Romania Costel Enache 17 November 2018[30]
Botoșani Romania Costel Enache Mutual agreement 16 November 2018[31] 12 Romania Liviu Ciobotariu 16 November 2018[32]
FCSB Romania Nicolae Dică Mutual agreement 23 December 2018[33] 2 Romania Mihai Teja 27 December 2018[34]
Gaz Metan Romania Mihai Teja Signed by FCSB 27 December 2018[34] 8 Romania Edward Iordănescu 7 January 2019[35]
Concordia Romania Dorinel Munteanu Sacked 7 January 2019[36] 13 Romania Adrian Falub 8 January 2019[37]
CFR Cluj Portugal Toni Conceição Mutual agreement 19 February 2019[38] 1 Romania Alin Minteuan (caretaker) 19 February 2019[39]
CFR Cluj Romania Alin Minteuan (caretaker) End of tenure as a caretaker 22 March 2019 1 Romania Dan Petrescu 22 March 2019[40]
Universitatea Italy Devis Mangia Mutual agreement 15 April 2019[41] 3 Romania Corneliu Papură 22 March 2019[42]
Sepsi Romania Eugen Neagoe Mutual agreement 2 May 2019[43] 6 Romania Marin Barbu (caretaker) 3 May 2019[44]

Regular season

In the regular season the 14 teams will meet twice, a total of 26 matches per team, with the top 6 advancing to the Championship round and the bottom 8 qualifying for Relegation round.[45]

Table