The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) has officially announced the squad selected for the upcoming match between Turkey and Romania, scheduled for March 26 in Istanbul. This game is part of the semi-finals of the World Cup qualification play-offs. Head coach Mircea Lucescu has made headlines by including four players in the squad for the first time: Marian Aioani from Rapid Bucharest, Mihai Popa from CFR Cluj, Andrei Coubiș from U Cluj, and Marius Coman from UTA Arad.
### Goalkeepers
The goalkeeping lineup features Ionuț Radu from Celta Vigo in Spain, who has represented the national team seven times without scoring. Joining him will be Marian Aioani from FC Rapid 1923 and Mihai Popa from CFR Cluj, both of whom have yet to earn their first cap for the national team.
### Defenders
In the defensive lineup, Andrei Rățiuc from Rayo Vallecano in Spain leads with 36 caps and 2 goals. Deian Sorescu, currently playing at Gaziantep FK in Turkey, has 23 caps to his name. Radu Drăgușin, who plays for Tottenham in England, brings 27 caps and 1 goal to the mix. Other noteworthy defenders include Andrei Burcă from Yunnan Yukun in China, with 44 caps and 1 goal, Virgil Ghiță from Hannover 96 in Germany, with 8 caps and 1 goal, and Adrian Rus from Universitatea Craiova, who has 22 caps and 1 goal. Two debutants, Andrei Coubiș from U Cluj and Kevin Ciubotaru from Hermannstadt, round out the defensive squad.
### Midfielders
The midfield is a blend of experienced players and rising stars. Vladimir Screciu from Universitatea Craiova has made 6 appearances, while Vlad Dragomir, who plays for Pafos in Cyprus, adds another 5. Răzvan Marin from AEK Athens boasts an impressive 72 caps and 12 goals, along with Nicolae Stanciu, from Dalian Yingbo in China with 84 caps and 15 goals. Florin Tănase from FCSB has 26 caps and 5 goals to his name, while Ianis Hagi, playing for Alanyaspor in Turkey, has accumulated 51 caps and 8 goals. Dennis Man from PSV in the Netherlands has made 43 appearances, scoring 11 goals. Other midfield options include Alexandru Dobre and Valentin Mihăilă, along with Claudiu Petrila and Ștefan Baiaram, rounding out a versatile ensemble.
### Forwards
The forward line features Daniel Bîrligea and David Miculescu, both from FCSB, with minimal international experience thus far, and Marius Coman from UTA Arad, who is also aiming to make his mark at the international level.
The „Tricolors” are set to convene in Mogoșoaia on Saturday at 12:00 PM, before departing for Istanbul on Wednesday at 10:00 AM, as confirmed by the FRF. This match presents a crucial opportunity for the Romanian team to demonstrate their skill and resilience on an international stage, particularly with the inclusion of promising talents who can bring fresh energy to the squad. Fans are eagerly anticipating how these players will perform in a high-stakes environment against a formidable opponent.
