Damage In The Box!: FOTBAL CLUB FCSB (National Arena)

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE, ROUND OF 32 1st LEG, FCSB 1-0 LAZIO,
ATTENDANCE: 25,000 (est)

The only paper here!

Prince, Puff Daddy, Cat Stevens are a few examples of famous name changes at the height of their respective careers but how often do you hear of a world famous football club changing their name?

In 2017 Steaua Bucharest, 26 times Romanian Champions and 1986 European Champions, were forced to change their name after they lost a legal dispute with the Romanian Ministry of Defence.

Steaua Bucharest were formed in 1947 as the Romanian Royal Army created a sports association, of which football was one of the departments. The colours of the Romanian flag, red, blue and yellow, were adopted as the club colours, though the yellow was gradually phased out to leave the now traditional red shirts and blue shorts.

The club's first name was Army Sports Association Bucharest before changing to Army Sports Club Steaua Bucharest in 1961. Steaua's finest hour was in the the 1980's when, in 1986, the club became the first team from the Eastern Bloc to win Europe's top club prize, beating Barcelona on penalties after a goalless draw. They also claimed the European Super Cup in the same year. Steaua also reached the final in 1989 but even the inspirational Gheorghe Hagi couldn't prevent AC Milan running out 4-0 winners. Steaua were also domestic champions in five consecutive seasons from 1984 to 1989 before going one better in the 1990's by winning the title six times in a row from 1992 to 1998.

In was in 1998 that the seeds for today's issues were sown. In order to comply with UEFA rules the football club became separate from the sports association and became a private entity. In 2003 the club became public under the stewardship of the controversial businessman George Becali.

Prior to gaining control of Steaua, Becali was involved in a dubious land swap deal with Romania's Ministry of Defence involving land he never actually owned and which, ultimately, cost the Ministry millions. He was jailed for his part in 2013.

In 2011 the Ministry of Defence decided to sue for the rights to the name, claiming the name, badge and colours had been used illegally since 2004. The courts ruled in favour of the Ministry and, in 2014, there was the bizarre sight of Steaua playing a home game with no badge, a change of colours and being referred to as 'the hosts'.

In March 2017 the club officially became known as Fotbal Club FCSB after more court rulings and ratification. The Romanian Army re-founded its football department in 2017 under the name CSA Steaua București and they began in the fourth level of Romanian Football. The newly formed club lay claim to the honours of the club between 1947 and 2003 but UEFA officially recognise FCSB as the continuation of Steaua Bucharest.

The Lazio fans

The decision has also split the fans with some supporter groups following the re-founded army club. Since 2012 home has been the National Arena in Bucharest, which is around 5km from the old town. The ground tonight was about half full, with about 1,500 Lazio fans travelling over from Rome.

They would be heading back to the eternal city wondering how on earth they failed to take anything from the first leg. Felipe Caicedo forced Andrei Vlad in the FCSB goal into a couple of saves before, against the run of play, Harlem-Eddy Gnohere (29) was played through and with only Thomas Strakosha in the Lazio goal to beat, he kept his cool to slot home. Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic headed against the crossbar in the dying moments of the first half but it was home side ahead at the break.

The second half continued in a similar vein with Lazio making all the running and FCSB hoping to catch the Italians on the break. Caicedo had another couple of half chances before being replaced by Immobile. Another substitute Felipe Anderson missed Lazio's best chance on the hour when he was played through and with just Vlad to beat he fired wide.

In the final minutes of the game Lazio had an effort blocked on the line as the FCSB defenders put their bodies on the (goal) line to ensure they travel to Italy next week with a precious lead. Whether this is enough to see the Romanians through we will have to see.

The game was finished after midnight local time and by the time I returned to the old town the excellent craft beer bars were closed for night. I thoroughly enjoyed my few days in Bucharest and I will almost certainly pencil in a return visit in the future.