- Standings: FC Voluntari are 3rd with 58 points after eight games, Steaua Bucuresti are 4th with 49 after nine.
- Form: Voluntari have won four of their last five games while Steaua have won one, drawn one and lost three.
Voluntari have a recent edge over Steaua
Match preview and coaches
FC Voluntari will travel to the capital on Saturday to play CSA Steaua Bucuresti in a Liga 2 Championship Group 2026 clash. Christian Florin Pirvu, who took over as head coach in April 2025, has put together a pragmatic, promotion-hungry group that is tough to break down and can make the ball move in a positive direction.
Voluntari are currently in third place in the championship group with 58 points after 8 games, nine points ahead of Steaua in fourth. Daniel Oprița, Steaua’s head coach since July 2019, has imbued his team with a well-organised pressing game and an affinity for controlling the ball through a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 hybrid shape.
Form and odds
Steaua have lost both of their most recent home matches, including their 0-2 loss at home to Sepsi OSK last weekend, and appear to have been outplayed by the visitors in terms of tempo and defensive compactness.
The visitors are slight favourites here at 2.1 with a head-to-head edge (W3 L2) and a better recent run of results, while Steaua’s odds are 3.33 and the draw is 3.36.
Back Voluntari to get the job done
Our recommendation is to back Voluntari to edge this one and give the promotion-chasing side the additional motivation of a win. Steaua will be driven by pride and the club’s legacy, but their side is not as fresh and Voluntari’s recent results should give them the belief to get the victory.
- This game should be a good matchup in midfield with Voluntari’s high tempo and transitions contrasting nicely with Steaua’s ball domination and pressing.
- Mihai Roman, who has scored four of Voluntari’s last six goals, will be a threat and Remus Chipirliu will provide the main attacking impetus for Steaua, who have two home wins and two losses so far in this competition, conceding an average of 1.5 goals per home match.
- Voluntari have scored five times on the road, winning twice, drawing once and losing once, and have not managed a win in their previous two trips to Steaua, so we are expecting a cagey, defensively solid encounter that will be decided by the goals on offer at 1.72.
