Rapid București has officially ended its hopes of competing in European cups after a 2-2 draw with FC Argeș in the penultimate playoff stage on May 15, 2026. The draw left Rapid fifth in the playoff standings with 33 points, while FC Argeș sits in the last position with 31 points.

Following the match, tensions ran high among the players and coaching staff. Alex Pașcanu, 27, a player for Rapid, expressed his frustration, saying that the team's dressing room and internal connections had fractured. This sentiment was echoed by coach Costel Gâlcă, who publicly resigned after the match, announcing that the upcoming game against Universitatea Craiova would be his last with the club.

Ilie Dumitrescu, 57, a former national team striker and current TV analyst, provided insight into the club's struggles. He noted that the team lacked strong leadership and that the playoffs required a different level of professionalism and discipline compared to the regular season.

"Costel Gâlcă was not listened to, and what he communicated was not acted upon. There were issues with discipline, and the leadership should have been on the same page with the coach," Dumitrescu said in an interview with Digi Sport.

Gâlcă, in his resignation speech, cited a lack of goals, discipline, and decision-making power as key factors in the team's decline. He expressed frustration that his opinions were not considered and that he did not have the authority to implement necessary changes.

The playoff standings currently have Dinamo, CFR, U Cluj, and Universitatea Craiova in the top four positions with 37, 41, 45, and 46 points, respectively.