Mihai Rotaru, the patron of Universitatea Craiova, treated the match against U Cluj as a true final. He arrived at the stadium more than two hours before the game, which could decide the Superliga title. Rotaru appeared visibly focused yet confident before the match on the "Ion Oblemenco" pitch, arriving early to oversee the final details of what is the most significant game of the season for Craiova.

The atmosphere at the stadium is expected to be electric, with over 30,000 supporters anticipated to attend the match against the "red wolves." A win for Craiova would mathematically secure the championship title, while a draw or a win for Cluj would leave the title race in doubt until the final round.

For Cluj, a victory would completely overturn the race for the trophy and transform their team into the favorites for the championship. The two teams met in the final of the Romanian Cup, which Craiova won on penalties. The high stakes of the match are evident in the decisions taken beforehand. Craiova requested an anti-doping control for the match, and Rotaru will personally cover approximately 40,000 euros for the procedure.

The Cluj officials accepted the tests without issue, but the decision highlights how crucial this match is for Rotaru. In the playoff round, Cluj had humbled Craiova with a 4-0 victory, and now there is immense pressure for revenge and to secure the title. Filipe Coelho, the coach of Craiova, also addressed the importance of the match.

"It's another game that could bring us a trophy. We know it will be difficult, but we will give it our all. We know it will be a different game, but we must play as we have been playing. It's a new final, and we'll see what happens. The atmosphere is always good, and when we have tough moments, people remain balanced. We know we are on our path, we want to achieve good things for us, for the city, for the club. It's good after we won the trophy (the Romanian Cup), but it was good before. I want to thank the fans for what they have done so far. They have been amazing in all moments. I believe the connection between us and the supporters is better, and now we have a strong connection because the team is doing well."