The drama in Bucharest refuses to end, even after the final whistle blows. FCSB clawed their way into the Conference League playoff final with a breathless 4-3 thriller against FC Botoșani. It was a spectacle of chaos and redemption, marking the highly scrutinized debut of Marius Baciu on the red-and-blue bench. But while the fans celebrate the qualification, the whispers in the corridors are far less celebratory.

The Illusion of Control

Victor Pițurcă, the former Romania national team manager, has ripped the curtain down on the reality inside the dressing room. His message is stark, delivered without hesitation or diplomatic padding. According to Pițurcă, Baciu is merely a name on the contract, a figurehead presiding over a ship steered entirely by the club's controversial owner, Gigi Becali.

"I don't want to comment," Pițurcă told Digi Sport, before immediately diving into the truth everyone suspects. "We all know who picks the team, who makes the changes. For now, I can't say anything about coach Marius Baciu. He was my student; I debuted him for the Romanian youth national team."

The former coach spared no one. "It pains me to say it, but he is the coach in name only, at this moment. Let's say he picked the team and made the changes—he still wouldn't have a major role," Pițurcă argued, pointing to the brevity of Baciu's tenure. "He hasn't coached in a long time, but he was a player and hasn't forgotten the game. But we all know the team and the changes are made by Gigi Becali."

A History Repeating Itself?

The appointment of Baciu came only after Cyprus-based coach Elias Charalambous declined to return to the club. Becali, hoping to replicate the success seen under the Cypriot manager, turned to a familiar face from the club's golden era. Baciu, a former captain of Steaua, spent his prime years at Ghencea between 1996 and 2002, securing three league titles, two Romanian Cups, and two Supercups.

As a manager, Baciu has navigated through clubs like Unirea Alba Iulia, Concordia Chiajna, Academica Clinceni, and Juventus București, holding a UEFA Pro license since 2015. Yet, questions linger about his ability to impose authority in an environment where the owner's voice drowns out all others.

The ultimate test arrives this Friday. FCSB faces Dinamo București in the playoff final, a clash that will determine their fate in the Conference League qualifiers. Can Baciu silence the critics, or will Pițurcă's harsh diagnosis prove prophetic? The stage is set, the stakes are sky-high, and the truth about who really wears the manager's armband is about to be tested.