A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| Season | 2019–20 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 12 July 2019 – 5 August 2020 |
| Champions | CFR Cluj 6th title |
| Champions League | CFR Cluj |
| UEFA Europa League | Universitatea Craiova Botoșani FCSB |
| Matches played | 261 |
| Goals scored | 520 (1.99 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Gabriel Iancu (18 goals) |
| Best goalkeeper | Giedrius Arlauskis (16 clean sheets) |
| Biggest home win | Viitorul Constanța 5–0 Dinamo București (15 July 2019) CFR Cluj 5–0 Voluntari (13 September 2019) |
| Biggest away win | Hermannstadt 0–4 FCSB (26 October 2019) Voluntari 0–4 CFR Cluj (21 December 2019) |
| Highest scoring | FCSB 4–3 Hermannstadt (14 July 2019) Chindia Târgoviște 2–5 Academica Clinceni (1 December 2019) Politehnica Iași 2–5 Universitatea Craiova (15 February 2020) |
| Longest winning run | 8 matches Astra Giurgiu |
| Longest unbeaten run | 9 matches Astra Giurgiu FCSB |
| Longest winless run | 16 matches Voluntari |
| Longest losing run | 9 matches Politehnica Iași |
| Highest attendance | 30,235 FCSB 1–1 Dinamo București (5 October 2019) |
| Lowest attendance | 01 |
| Total attendance | 684,565 |
| Average attendance | 3,493 |
← 2018–19 2020–21 →
All statistics correct as of 16 June 2020
1Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on association football. | |
The 2019–20 Liga I (also known as Casa Liga 1 for sponsorship reasons) was the 102nd season of the Liga I, the top professional league for Romanian association football clubs, which began in July 2019 and was scheduled to end in June 2020. Suspended in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania, the season resumed on 13 June and effectively ended on 5 August.[1] It was the fifth season to take place since the play-off/play-out rule had been introduced.
CFR Cluj were two-time defending champions, and they successfully defended their title once more. Universitatea Craiova contented for the trophy until the final fixture of the championship play-offs, and ultimately finished as runner-ups, while FCSB were unable to claim a top three spot in the table for the first time since the 2010–11 season. Because of the aforementioned situation created by the pandemic, it was decided that no club would relegate directly and the 14th-placed team would take part in the promotion/relegation play-offs instead of the 12th-placed one, which resulted in no club being relegated whatsoever.
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
The derby between FCSB and Universitatea Craiova on 8 March 2020 was played without spectators because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] Four days later, all football leagues and competitions were suspended by the Romanian Football Federation until 31 March in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania.[3] In May, it was announced that the Liga I would restart on the second weekend of June.[4]
The first match meant to be played at the resumption was Universitatea Craiova versus FC Botoșani, on 12 June at 20:00 EEST (UTC+3),[5] but was postponed after the latter club's doctor was tested positive for the virus.[6] This was the second game announced to be postponed on the same day after Dinamo București versus Chindia Târgoviște, which was scheduled for 13 June.[7] Nevertheless, the season resumed with three other matches on 13 June.[8]
After the restart, many matches were postponed due to COVID-19 cases that appeared inside the teams. At the end the season, two matches were cancelled in the play-off after Coronavirus cases from Astra Giurgiu and five matches were canceled in the play-out, after the emergence of the same issue at Dinamo București. The final league tables were approved without these matches and it was announced that only the last place, Chindia Târgoviște, would play a promotion/relegation play-off, with the rest of the teams being spared from relegation and the format being changed from 14 teams to 16 teams starting with the next season.[9]
Teams
The league consists of 14 teams: twelve teams from the 2018–19 Liga I and two new teams from the 2018–19 Liga II.
Teams promoted to the Liga I
The first club to be promoted was Academica Clinceni, following their 2–1 win against Argeș Pitești on 24 May 2019. Academica will play in the Liga I for the first time in their history.[10]
The second club to be promoted was Chindia Târgoviște, following their 4–1 win against Luceafărul Oradea on 25 May 2019. AFC Chindia will play in the Liga I for the first time in their history, but the city of Târgoviște, returned in the Liga I after 21 years of absence, where was last time represented by FCM Târgoviște, named between 1996 and 2003 as CF Chindia, club that was also the first club of the city and which was replaced by the new club (AFC Chindia) after some internal conflicts.[11]
Teams relegated to the Liga II
The first club to be relegated was Concordia Chiajna, which were relegated on 22 May 2019 following a 0–2 defeat against Dunărea Călărași, ending their 8-year stay in the top flight.[12][13]
The second club to be relegated was Dunărea Călărași, which were relegated on 2 June 2019 following a 1–2 defeat against FC Hermannstadt, ending their 1-year stay in the top flight.[14][15]
Venues
| FCSB | Universitatea Craiova | CFR Cluj | Chindia Târgoviște |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arena Națională | Ion Oblemenco | Dr. Constantin Rădulescu | Ilie Oană[i] |
| Capacity: 55,634 | Capacity: 30,929 | Capacity: 23,500 | Capacity: 15,073 |
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| Dinamo București |
Location of Bucharest teams. |
Politehnica Iași | |
| Stadionul Dinamo | Emil Alexandrescu | ||
| Capacity: 15,032 | Capacity: 11,390 | ||
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| Astra Giurgiu | Gaz Metan Mediaș | ||
| Marin Anastasovici | Gaz Metan | ||
| Capacity: 8,500 | Capacity: 7,814 | ||
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| FC Botoșani | Sepsi OSK | ||
| Municipal | Municipal | ||
| Capacity: 7,782 | Capacity: 5,200 | ||
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| Hermannstadt | Voluntari | Viitorul Constanța | Academica Clinceni |
| Municipal[ii] | Anghel Iordănescu | Viitorul | Clinceni |
| Capacity: 5,000 | Capacity: 4,600 | Capacity: 4,554 | Capacity: 4,500 |
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- ^ Chindia Târgoviște was relocated to Ilie Oană Stadium in Ploiești, because Eugen Popescu Stadium in Târgoviște is under renovations.
- ^ FC Hermannstadt was relocated for several rounds to Trans-Sil Stadium in Târgu Mureș, because Municipal Stadium in Sibiu is under renovations.
Personnel and kits
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academica Clinceni |  Ilie Poenaru
|
Răzvan Patriche
|
Joma | Nicmar Prima, Fermele Crevedia |
| Astra Giurgiu | Bogdan Andone
|
Denis Alibec
|
Joma | Tinmar, Pambac |
| Botoșani | Marius Croitoru
|
Andrei Patache
|
Erreà | Elsaco |
| CFR Cluj | Dan Petrescu
|
 Mário Camora
|
Joma | NTT Data |
| Chindia Târgoviște | Emil Săndoi
|
Cristian Cherchez
|
Joma | Primăria Târgoviște, CJ Dâmbovița |
| Dinamo București | Gheorghe Mulțescu
|
 Ante Puljić
|
Macron | Unibet |
| FCSB | Anton Petrea
|
Florin Tănase
|
Nike | City Insurance |
| Gaz Metan Mediaș |  Dušan Uhrin Jr.
|
Marius Constantin
|
Joma | Romgaz |
| Hermannstadt |  Rubén Albés
|
Răzvan Dâlbea
|
Joma | Natur House |
| Politehnica Iași | Mircea Rednic
|
Cosmin Frăsinescu
|
Joma | Superbet |
| Sepsi OSK | Leontin Grozavu
|
István Fülöp
|
Adidas | Diószegi, Gyermelyi |
| Universitatea Craiova |  Cristiano Bergodi
|
Nicușor Bancu
|
Joma | Betano |
| Viitorul Constanța | Gheorghe Hagi
|
Gabriel Iancu
|
Nike | Pepsi |
| Voluntari | Mihai Teja
|
Ionuț Balaur
|
Macron | Winner |
