The Astra Chronicle
Squad17 Aug 2026
Bogdan Vătăjelu damages knee ligaments — 128 days out
The words a physio says slowly. 128 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.
Match15 Aug 2026
Astra win it in stoppage time
The board had gone up, the arguing had started, and then the ball was in the net in the 95th minute. Petrolul will replay every second of the added time for a week.
Squad17 Aug 2026
A day Claudiu Coman will not forget
3 goals in one game. The first was taken well, the second was taken greedily, and by the third the crowd were simply waiting for him to get the ball.
Market17 Aug 2026
Astra say no — this time
The offer from Zeleznicar Pancevo for Paul Tanase was heard out and sent back the same day. First bids are rarely meant to succeed; they are meant to find out how loudly the door closes.
Player ratings17 Aug 2026
Nobody could get near Bogdan Cicaldau
Successful dribbles: 23. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Squad17 Aug 2026
Tempers go at Astra
Florin Ştefan was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Match15 Aug 2026
Astra find a way past Petrolul
Petrolul made Astra work for it, but the scoreboard read 3‑2 at the end and the table does not ask how.
Player ratings17 Aug 2026
Claudiu Coman in the eights
A performance of 9.50 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Squad17 Aug 2026
Mihai Moldovan gets it from the manager
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
In brief
- The terraces Astra supporters have found a favourite in Ciprian Puscas
- Player ratings Stefan Bancu was on a different afternoon to everybody else
- Market No place for Vlad Nita in the plan