FCSB crash out of Conference League after 3-7 aggregate defeat to FK Auda

FCSB's Conference League campaign ended at the Skonto Stadium in Riga on July 30, 2026. A 1-4 defeat to FK Auda left the Romanian side eliminated 3-7 on aggregate.

The Bucharest club had lost the first leg 2-3 at home. In Latvia, defensive errors and missed chances compounded the damage.

Florin Tănase did not mince words. "We did not deserve to advance."

Coach Marius Baciu called the result "shameful and humiliating." He acknowledged FK Auda's quality, "a very good team" with "very good players", but reserved his harshest criticism for his own squad's execution. Baciu pointed to wasted opportunities and a porous defense as the primary culprits.

The Latvian side advances to the third preliminary round. For FCSB, the early exit marks a troubling start to the 2026/2027 season.

Baciu mentioned isolated positives from the two legs but offered no specifics. The aggregate scoreline, he admitted, told the fuller story.

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Tănase's frustration mirrored that of the coaching staff. Both men spoke in the mixed zone immediately after the final whistle, their remarks brief and pointed.

FCSB now face a domestic calendar without the European cushion they had hoped for. The club's management has not yet commented publicly on the elimination or on potential squad changes.

FK Auda, meanwhile, will await the draw for the next round. Their four-goal performance in Riga, clinical finishing paired with disciplined defending, underlined the gap between the two sides over 180 minutes.

The Romanian champions' early departure prompts questions about squad depth and tactical preparation. Baciu's contract runs through June 2027. Whether the board retains confidence in his project may depend on how FCSB navigate the opening weeks of the domestic league.

Tănase, 29, has captained the side since 2024. His post-match assessment was the bluntest public statement from any FCSB player this season.

The defeat in Riga was FCSB's heaviest in European competition since a 0-5 loss to Manchester City in the 2020/2021 Europa League group stage. That match, too, had been played away from home.

FCSB's next fixture is a league match on August 6 against Sepsi OSK in Bucharest. Baciu has five days to address the defensive frailties exposed across two legs in the Conference League.