Big worries for Bucharest three

Closed doors
FC Steaua Bucuresti, FC Dinamo Bucuresti and AFC Rapid Bucuresti have all recently been ordered to play domestic home matches behind closed doors due to crowd trouble, and while they continue to do well in Divizia A, there have been other problems behind the scenes.

Fabulous start
The 4-0 win against RC Lens on Matchday 1 was a fabulous result for Steaua, but they were brought back to earth on Sunday as they lost 1-0 at home to FC Gloria 1922 Bistrita in the first of two league games to played at an empty Ghencea stadium.

Shocking scenes
The Romanian Football Federation handed out the same punishment to Steaua and Rapid after clashes between fans of the two clubs marred their recent derby stalemate. Steaua coach Oleh Protasov certainly had reason to regret supporters' actions as he looked ahead to the Group C trip to UC Sampdoria.

Nasty surprise
"We did not need this defeat [by Gloria]," he said. "I don't agree with those who say it was a defeat which came at the right time and I don't know how much this defeat will help us. We have to get a positive result in Genoa and we have to score a goal against an Italian team, which we have never done before."

Branding issue
Matters have been more tense at the club after owner Gigi Becali announced he was going to sell the Steaua trademark as he aims to settle a €11m debt to the government. "This has nothing to do with the players," said executive director Marius Lacatus. "They have to mind their own business and do their job."

Dinamo despair
Dinamo have problems of their own having also been forced to play one match behind closed doors because of crowd trouble in their 5-0 win against CFR Cluj. Their punishment hit hard as they were held to a 1-1 draw by CS Jiul Petrosani at the weekend, three days after bowing out to lower-league FC Petrolul Ploiesti in the Romanian Cup.

Andone criticised
They still top the table, but fans have not been impressed with coach Ioan Andone's tactics. As the team prepared for their visit to Bulgaria's PFC Levski Sofia in their second Group F game, executive director Cristian Borcea felt the need to defend his coach.

Public defence
"Whatever the result, Andone will stay until the end of the season," he said. "But we are going to Sofia to win. We also have this obligation towards our fans." President of the board of directors Nicolae Badea added: "We cannot jump to conclusions after one or two matches - only at the end of the campaign."

Rapid worries
Rapid are yet to serve the first leg of their home ban, but their problems have been in the boardroom rather than on the pitch. They host Group G rivals Stade Rennais FC in the midst of a financial crisis and a wrangle between executive president Dinu Gheorghe and main shareholder George Copos.

'Lonelier still'
Coach Razvan Lucescu was certainly feeling the pressure. "Before the first-round tie against Feyenoord, we were alone," he said. "Now, we are lonelier still. All we can do is take our chances and be committed."