Coach Mircea Lucescu believes that Turkey, Romania's opponents in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup qualification play-off, are going through a good period, but that anything can happen on the field, assuring the supporters that the tricolors will fight for victory.
"I think all the teams in pot no. 1 were equally strong. I don't know Turkey's team very well, but I saw the match with Spain and I think they are going through a very good moment. In the four months we have at our disposal, we have to raise our level. Anything can happen on the field. It won't be easy, an incendiary atmosphere awaits us in Turkey. But we have the Zenica experience, the pressure will be the same, but the hospitality will be different. I don't want to talk about the final, for now we are thinking about the first match. We will fight for qualification, I assure you!", declared Lucescu, according to the official website of the Romanian Football Federation.
The Romanian national football team will meet Turkey, away, on March 26, in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup play-off, according to the draw made on Thursday, in Zurich.
If they get past Turkey, a team that Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu previously coached, Romania will also play the play-off final away from home, against the winner of Slovakia or Kosovo, on March 31.
Turkey finished second in the group, behind Spain, with whom they drew (2-2) in their last match. Turkey's only defeat in this campaign came at home, against the European champions, with an unbelievable 0-6. The group also included Georgia and Bulgaria.
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