Tickets for Universitatea Craiova - KuPS in Europa League qualifying at Ion Oblemenco Stadium in Craiova

Universitatea Craiova - KuPS: the return leg that will decide the European autumn

Universitatea Craiova and KuPS meet at the Ion Oblemenco Stadium in Craiova in the return leg of the third qualifying round of the Europa League. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:00, and in front of more than 30,000 available seats, the hosts will try to make use of their home ground, squad depth and the energy from the stands against a team arriving in Romania in the full competitive rhythm of the Finnish season.

The first match will be played on 6 August in Kuopio, so at the time of preparing this guide, the exact aggregate situation for the return leg is not yet known. That result will determine whether Craiova must chase a goal from the outset or whether KuPS will be forced to open up the game. One thing is already clear: the winner of the tie advances to the Europa League play-offs and simultaneously secures at least a place in the league phase of the Conference League. This gives the match a significance that goes beyond another summer qualifying evening.

Tickets for this match are in demand among supporters, so it is worth securing a seat in good time.

What is at stake for both teams

For Universitatea Craiova, this is an opportunity to continue their path towards another European competition after being eliminated by Levski Sofia. The Romanian champions lost the first match against Levski 1-0 and then drew 2-2 at the Ion Oblemenco Stadium. The hosts recovered from a two-goal deficit in the return leg but were unable to force extra time. That tie showed two sides of Craiova: vulnerability when an opponent breaks through the first line of pressure and serious attacking power when the crowd raises the tempo of the match.

KuPS also arrived from the qualifiers for a higher-tier competition. The Finnish champions lost both matches against Sabah FK, 1-0 away and 2-0 at home. The 3-0 aggregate score does not only reflect the result, but also a finishing problem, as KuPS failed to score in the tie. Nevertheless, their domestic form presents a more stable picture: Miika Nuutinen's team were top of the Veikkausliiga at the beginning of August and had recorded six consecutive league victories.

Form before the first match in Kuopio

• KuPS: 1-0 win against IF Gnistan, 0-2 defeat to Sabah FK, 3-1 win against VPS, 0-1 defeat to Sabah FK and 2-0 win against SJK.
• Universitatea Craiova: 4-0 win against Petrolul Ploiești, 2-2 draw with Levski Sofia, 1-5 defeat to Dinamo București, 0-1 defeat to Levski Sofia and 4-0 win against UTA Arad.
• KuPS defeated SJK, VPS and IF Gnistan in their final three league appearances before the first match.
• Craiova collected six points in the first three league rounds, scoring nine goals and conceding five.
• Before the match in Kuopio, there had been no previous meeting between these clubs.

Universitatea Craiova: a powerful attack, but the defence must remain composed

Filipe Coelho most often sets Craiova up with three centre-backs, wide players who attack high up the pitch and two creative players behind the central striker. The shape can be described as a 3-4-2-1, but in possession it often looks much more attacking: one wide player remains out wide, the other moves closer to the penalty area, while the midfield tries to regain the lost ball quickly.

Ștefan Baiaram attracts the most attention. The number 10 can start on the left, move towards the centre and finish the move or create space for the striker with the final pass. In the five matches before the tie against KuPS, he recorded two goals and two assists. His ability to change direction and attack the space between the full-back and centre-back is particularly important against a team defending in a compact block.

Steven Nsimba enters the match after scoring twice against Petrolul Ploiești. He can play as the central focal point of the attack, but he can also attack the space behind the defence. Captain Nicușor Bancu is important to the entire left side. His advanced position can push KuPS deep towards their own penalty area, but it also leaves space behind him for transitions. This will be one of the key tactical battles: whether Craiova can secure possession quickly enough after losing the ball or whether KuPS can escape the home side's pressure with the first pass.

Oleksandr Romanchuk was unavailable for the first match because of injury. His status for the return leg should be checked closer to the match. Without him, Coelho must distribute responsibility differently in aerial duels, set-piece defending and bringing the ball out from the back line. After conceding five goals against Dinamo and encountering problems at set pieces against Levski, the discipline of the home defence will be just as important as their attacking quality.

Craiova players worth watching

• Ștefan Baiaram - a creator who attacks the spaces between the lines and can decide the match with a shot after cutting in from the flank.
• Steven Nsimba - a striker who scored twice against Petrolul and enters the tie with a clear instinct for finishing.
• Nicușor Bancu - the captain and left-sided wide player whose energy determines how high Craiova will press.
• Alexandru Cicâldău - a midfielder important for composure in possession, late runs from deep and control of the tempo.
• Vladimir Screciu - a defensively important player who must close the space behind the advanced wide players.

KuPS: organisation, intensity and danger from quick breaks

Miika Nuutinen took charge of KuPS ahead of the 2026 season and quickly kept the team in the battle for the top of the domestic league. KuPS can play with a back four and three players in midfield, while in attack they rely on width, mobile wingers and well-timed runs from the midfielders. In Kuopio, they will probably try to take more of the initiative, while in Craiova they may have more space for transitions.

Saku Savolainen delivered the victory against IF Gnistan with the goal for 1-0. Jaime Moreno and Joslyn Luyeye-Lutumba were among the scorers in the 3-1 win against VPS, a match in which KuPS showed that they do not need to keep the ball for long to create high-quality chances. This is an important message for the hosts: Craiova's possession will not automatically mean control if the Finnish team wins the second balls and quickly attacks the open flanks.

However, the two goalless matches against Sabah FK remain a warning. At this level, KuPS cannot expect to receive many clear opportunities. Set pieces, loose balls and shots after cut-back passes are therefore particularly important. Craiova showed against Levski that they can have problems defending set pieces, and this is an area the Finnish team must try to turn into a tangible advantage.

Tactical battles that could decide the return leg

The first is the space behind Craiova's wide players. If Bancu and the right-sided wide player both move high at the same time, KuPS will look for a quick diagonal pass towards the wing. The home centre-backs must then defend a large amount of space, while one of the midfielders must slow down the counterattack before it develops.

The second is the pressure on the first phase of KuPS's build-up. Craiova will not want to wait for long in front of their own supporters. Baiaram and the other player behind the striker can close passing lanes towards the centre, while Nsimba forces the centre-backs towards the touchline. If that pressure is coordinated, the hosts can win the ball close to the penalty area. If the first wave is bypassed, KuPS will gain space between the lines.

The third is set-piece defending. The Finnish team has enough tall and strong players to turn every corner or free kick into pressure. Craiova must avoid unnecessary fouls near the touchline and be precise in assigning players for the first and second balls.

A head-to-head meeting without a long history

Before the first match in Kuopio, the clubs had no recorded previous meeting. As a result, the return leg in Craiova will not have a traditional H2H story composed of old results, familiar rivalries or repeated tactical patterns. The only direct reference will be what happens on 6 August on the artificial surface of the Väre Arena.

The change of playing surface is not insignificant. Craiova will play on artificial turf in Finland, while the return leg will be played on the natural grass of the Ion Oblemenco Stadium. Before the first match, Coelho emphasised that his team was not accustomed to such a surface. In Craiova, the hosts should therefore have a more natural feel for the speed of the ball, changes of direction and longer attacking moves.

Seats in the stands disappear quickly when a European autumn is at stake.

Ion Oblemenco Stadium and the atmosphere in Craiova

The Ion Oblemenco Stadium opened in 2017 and has a capacity of 30,944. The stands are divided into the VIP stand, Tribuna 2, Peluza Nord and Peluza Sud. The enclosed shape of the arena keeps the sound close to the pitch, and the loudest support is expected behind the goals. For the visiting team, the opening part of the match could be particularly demanding if Craiova manage to combine high pressure with several early shots.

The stadium is located at Bulevardul Ilie Balaci 8. The complex is close to the wider centre of Craiova and is connected by public transport. The city is one of the main urban centres of south-western Romania, and matchday can be organised without relying on a car: arrival in the city centre, continuing towards the stadium and returning after the match are more practical when traffic changes around the arena are checked in advance.

Practical arrival information

• Address: Ion Oblemenco Stadium, Bulevardul Ilie Balaci 8, Craiova.
• Capacity: 30,944 seats distributed across four main stand sectors.
• Public transport: city line 1 includes the Stadion stop and connects the arena area with the railway station.
• Parking: access to the parking area inside the stadium complex is controlled by permits, so visitors should not expect to enter by car without previously confirmed access rights.
• Entrances: the exact opening time of the entrances for the return leg had not been announced at the time this guide was prepared; arrive considerably earlier and check the club's final notice.

Ticket sales for this match are under way. For a match with such high competitive stakes, it is worth securing tickets in good time and allowing enough time for checks at the entrances.

How to read the match from the stands

During the opening minutes, it is worth watching the position of Bancu and Craiova's other wide player. If both are high, the hosts intend to pin KuPS back deep. If one remains alongside the three centre-backs, Coelho is showing greater respect for the Finnish transitions.

For KuPS, attention should be paid to where the first midfielder receives the ball. If the Finns can regularly find Gasca or Jyry behind the first line of pressure, Craiova will have to reduce their intensity and defend a larger area. If the hosts close the centre, KuPS will be forced to play longer balls towards the striker and compete for the loose balls.

The most important question is not simply who will have more of the ball. The deciding factors will be which team makes better use of the moments after winning possession, who defends set pieces more calmly and who adapts better to the aggregate scenario created by the first match in Kuopio.

Sources:
- Competition page - date, stadium, qualifying stage and match information.
- KuPS - form, coach Miika Nuutinen, squad, tie previews and statements before the first match.
- Veikkausliiga - KuPS's domestic league results and current competitive rhythm.
- Universitatea Craiova - coach Filipe Coelho, results, stadium and club information.
- GSP and Digi Sport - Craiova's form, tactical context, key players and Oleksandr Romanchuk's status.
- RAT Craiova - city route and the Stadion stop.