Dinamo București – Rapid Bucureşti arrives on Sunday at 9: 00 PM ET with Costel Gâlcă making a surprising call in the visitors’ starting setup for the sixth round of the playoff. The derby is set for the National Arena in Bucharest, with Rapid sitting fourth on 32 points and Dinamo one place behind, one point adrift.
The headline move is at right back, where Gâlcă has chosen Denis Ciobotariu, a player who normally operates as a central defender. That decision leaves captain Răzvan Onea on the bench, even though the right side of defense is his natural position, and it adds another layer of tension to a match already carrying major weight in the race for Europe.
Gâlcă also brings Alex Dobre back into the starting eleven after leaving him out in the previous match against Universitatea Craiova as a disciplinary measure. In this Dinamo București – Rapid Bucureşti meeting, Dobre is set to play as a false nine, while Moruțan starts on the right side of the attack.
Rapid’s lineup brings the biggest shock
The Rapid selection points to a bold approach from Gâlcă in a game that could shape the playoff picture. Another option at right back was Cristi Manea, but the club has said he is among the injured players because of a knee problem. Rapid also cannot count on Dejan Iliev, Leo Bolgado, Gabriel Gheorghe, Cătălin Vulturar and Elvir Koljic, all unavailable through injury.
Manea’s situation adds more intrigue because he has barely featured recently. Over the last eight matches, he has been a non-used substitute six times and came on late in the other two.
Dinamo București – Rapid Bucureşti and the fight for Europe
On the other side, Dinamo approaches this derby after the setback in the Romanian Cup semifinal, where the team was eliminated by Universitatea Craiova on penalties after conceding in the 119th minute. That disappointment has pushed the team into full focus on the league and a possible path to the Conference League preliminaries.
Dinamo is lining up with three central defenders, while two key names, Cîrjan and Musi, begin on the bench. The atmosphere around the stadium is already building, with strong support expected in the stands and a significant visiting presence from Rapid fans.
What the benches and absences say
For Dinamo, the available squad and the chosen structure show a side trying to respond quickly after a painful week. For Rapid, the choice to move Ciobotariu wide and keep Onea out underlines how much Gâlcă is willing to change in a high-pressure moment.
Dinamo București – Rapid Bucureşti remains one of the most closely watched fixtures of the round, not only because of the table, but because both teams arrive with different sources of pressure and urgency. With kickoff at 9: 00 PM ET, the next update will come from the starting lineups, the early tactical balance, and whether Gâlcă’s surprise holds through Dinamo București – Rapid Bucureşti.
What happens next
The match will now test whether Rapid’s reshuffled back line can withstand Dinamo’s response in front of a large crowd at the National Arena. If the early gamble works, it could give Gâlcă a decisive edge in the playoff race; if not, Dinamo will have a clear opening to close the gap in the fight for Europe.
