FC Petrolul Ploiesti

Petrolul Ploiesti

Full name	Fotbal Club Petrolul Ploie?ti
Nickname(s)	Lupii Galbeni (The Yellow Wolves) Galben-Albastrii (The Yellow-Blues) Petrolistii (The Oilmen)
Founded	1924; 90 years ago as FC Juventus Bucuresti
Ground	Stadionul Ilie Oană
Capacity	15,500[1]
President	Daniel Capră
Manager	Răzvan Lucescu
League	Liga I
2013–14	Liga I, 3rd
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours Third colours
Current season

Petrolul fans are best known in Romania for their 3D choreographies

The fans during the 2013 Romanian Cup Final in Bucharest

Petrolul versus Flamurtari Vlorë in a UEFA Europa League second qualifying round match, July 2014

Fotbal Club Petrolul Ploiesti (Romanian pronunciation: [pe'trolul plo'je?t?]), commonly known as Petrolul Ploie?ti, or simply as Petrolul, is a Romanian professional football club based in Ploie?ti, Prahova County, currently playing in the Liga I.

It was founded in 1924 as Juventus Bucuresti, following the merger of Triumf Bucuresti and Romcomit Bucuresti. The Latin tradition cultivated by Juventus was illustrated by its emblem, which was based on the history of the foundation of Rome, where a she-wolf nursed Romulus and Remus.^[2] The team's current home colors are yellow and dark blue. Accordingly, the players are nicknamed "The Yellow Wolves".

Petrolul have won the Liga I four times and the Cupa României three times since its establishment.

History

Early years

Their first national title came after six years, as Juventus were champions in the 1929-30 season. After the reorganisation of the Romanian football's division structure, Juventus played 7 consecutive seasons in Liga I, from 1933 to 1940. Following World War II, the club was promoted once again to Liga I, having finished in 1st place in the final Liga II season prior to the outbreak of war. From 1946-1952 Juventus had 6 consecutive seasons in Liga I; they also changed their name numerous times, being known as Distributia, Competrol, Petrolul, Partizanul and Flacăra. In 1952 the club moved to Ploiesti, and changed its name to Flacăra Ploiesti accordingly.

They have won the Romanian top division 4 times, the last time in the 1965-66 season.

Their best European performance to date was reaching the quarter-finals of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1962–63. After eliminating Spartak Brno (Czechoslovakia) and Leipzig XI (German Democratic Republic), they were finally defeated by the Hungarian side Ferencvárosi TC. In the 1995-1996 season they also managed to defeat Welsh side Wrexham FC narrowly over two games.

Recent history

Petrolul won the 2010–11 Liga II, and were promoted to Liga I following a 7-year absence.

2012–13 season

They finished third in the 2012–13 Liga I, as well as winning Cupa României for the third time in their history. The third place finish earned Petrolul a spot in the second qualifying round of the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League, with the club playing a European match following an 18-year absence.

2013–14 season

After defeating Víkingur Gota and Vitesse, they were eliminated in the Europa League play-off round by Swansea City. During the winter transfer window, the team brought Adrian Mutu, a former Romanian international, which attracted media attention.^[3] In January 2014, German automobile manufacturer Opel became Petrolul's shirt sponsor.^[4] In April, Petrolul had the chance to qualify for their second consecutive Cupa României final, but lost the second leg of the semi-finals against rivals Astra Giurgiu (2–1), after a 0–0 result at home.^[5] The fans blamed Petrolul's administration for selling two of their best players (Hamza Younés and Damien Boudjemaa), and bringing Adrian Mutu and Ianis Zicu, who did not live up to expectations. Some also considered that the new manager, Răzvan Lucescu, wasn't a suitable replacer for Cosmin Contra, who left the club for Getafe in March.^[6] Petrolul came third in the Liga I for a second successive season, thus again participating in the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round.

2014–15 season

Petrolul signed a one-year kit deal with American sportswear company Nike, after the association with Puma came to an end.^[7] The club confirmed on its official website that Opel will continue being the shirt sponsor until the end of the season.^[8] Acibadem Healthcare Group also became the medical sponsor until the end of the season, with an extension option being available.^[9] Using many players that would normally be substitutes and having a player sent off in the second half, Petrolul was beaten by Universitatea Cluj in the Cupa Ligii (English: League Cup) round of 16, a competition which was reenacted after fourteen years of pause.^[10] After eliminating Flamurtari Vlorë, "The Yellow Wolves" confronted Czech side Viktoria Plzeň in the Europa League third qualifying phase round, a club which in the previous season took part in the Champions League group stage. After a draw at Ploiesti (1–1), Petrolul incredibly beat Viktoria scoring four goals and conceding only one. The Romanian side's captain, 35-year-old Adrian Mutu, played a big role in his team's qualification, scoring both home and away.^[11] Petrolul will play against Dinamo Zagreb of Croatia in the play-off round.

Rivalries

Petrolul's traditional, historic rival is Rapid Bucharest. Petrolul and Rapid fans have maintained a strong rivalry, despite long periods of not meeting when one or the other were playing in the second division. 

Petrolul maintains a strong rivalry with Astra Giurgiu, its former local enemy. The rivalry started when Astra promoted for the first time in the Divizia A in 1998, as their fans engaged in a grudge with Petrolul. Astra played in Ploiesti until September 2012, when it was moved to Giurgiu by its owner. Even after the move, the rivalry continues.

Club names

Honours

Domestic

Liga I:

• Winners (4): 1929–30, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1965–66
• Runners-up (3): 1925–26, 1955, 1961–62

Liga II:

• Winners (8): 1940–41, 1954, 1976–77, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1988–89, 2002–03, 2010–11
• Runners-up (1): 1980–81

Cupa României:

• Winners (3): 1962–63, 1994–95, 2012–13
• Runners-up (1): 1952

Supercupa României:

• Runners-up (2): 1995, 2013

Players

First team squad

As of 19 July 2014. ^[12]

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

No.   Position Player 1 GK Peterson Peçanha 2 DF Jean Sony Alcénat 3 DF Geraldo Alves (vice-captain) 5 MF Sony Mustivar 6 DF Dean Be?a 7 FW Gevaro Nepomuceno 8 DF Mourad Satli 9 FW Patrick N'Koyi 10 FW Adrian Mutu (captain) 11 MF Juan Albín 12 GK Alberto Cobrea 14 DF Roberto Alecsandru 15 MF Ovidiu Hoban 17 FW Alexandru Radu

No.   Position Player 18 FW George Mare? 20 MF Njongo Priso 21 MF Victora? Astafei 22 GK Iuliu Oprea 30 MF Lauren?iu Marinescu 33 GK Mirel Bolboa?ă (on loan from Viitorul) 35 DF Gerson Guimaraes 39 DF Jean-Alain Fanchone 52 MF Romário Pires 77 DF Andrei Peteleu 80 MF Filipe Teixeira 91 MF Pablo de Lucas 93 FW Vlad Morar 99 FW Toto Tamuz