The way our youth team said goodbye to their home crowd—by defeating already crowned champions Farul—put the perfect finishing touch on the entire season. Head coach Goran Kopunović was full of praise in his post-match assessment.

The way our youth team said goodbye to their home crowd—by defeating already crowned champions Farul—put the perfect finishing touch on the entire season. Head coach Goran Kopunović was full of praise in his post-match assessment.

“There are times when the result speaks for itself, and this is exactly one of those,” the coach began, emphasizing the special significance of the match. As he explained, the victory was a confirmation of the work done throughout the year. “As a coach, this match meant a lot to me, mainly because it reflects a whole year of hard work.”

The head coach also recalled the early days, highlighting the journey the team has taken during the season. “I worked a lot with these boys. I know where we started, I know how difficult the beginning was, I know what condition they were in back then,” he said, adding that after a year of hard work, the progress is undeniable. “Now I can say they have improved a lot. There is great potential in this team, and I predict a bright future for them.”

The victory over Farul is even more valuable considering the opponent had already secured the league title. However, that was not reflected on the pitch: FK clearly dominated the match. “It was a huge game against a champion team, which in my opinion is currently the best team in Romania, and to beat them with this kind of performance is neither easy nor accidental,” Kopunović highlighted.

Before the match, the coach delivered one simple but important message to his players: “Before the game I said just one thing: let’s be happy before the match, during the match, and be the happiest after the match. And that’s exactly what happened.”

The match also marked the end of an era: for a generation mainly composed of players born in 2008, it was their final home game in youth football. From the summer, they will face the challenges of senior football. “It will be difficult for me as a coach to say goodbye to this team… I am very proud of them, incredibly proud,” he said honestly, describing it as one of the toughest farewells of his career.

The story is not over yet: one more match remains this season. In the final round, FK will play away in Bucharest against FCSB, aiming to close the season with another strong performance.

R. A.
Photo: Pál Zoltán