Romania holds its breath. Will its national football team qualify for the European Championship that the capital Bucharest will co-host with eleven other European cities from June 2020? To find out, it will wait until the end of March, because the Romanians must go through play-offs, like 15 other teams competing for the last 4 places qualifying for the Euro: they will face Iceland on March 26 and, in case of victory, Bulgaria or Hungary on March 31.
Before that, Bucharest hosts the main draw of the event, Saturday, November 30. Razvan Burleanu, the young president of the Romanian Football Federation, told World his enthusiasm and satisfaction at hosting the competition.
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Romania failed to qualify directly for the Euro. It will go through the dams next March. Are you optimistic?
Our national team has never lost a league match. We have earned the right to participate in these roadblocks and we have real chances to qualify. Therefore, I am optimistic that Romania will play Euro 2020.
Do you think that in case of elimination the atmosphere will still be present in Bucharest for the four games scheduled in Romania?
Football is very popular in Romania, it's the number one sport. I think the interest in the matches organized at theArena Naţională (the Bucharest enclosure with a capacity of 55 000 places) et for the football show is going to be very high.
And it's not just a belief, we also have the data to prove it, collected through several surveys. More than 85% of Romanians are proud and support the organization.
Another argument: on the number of tickets on sale until now, without knowing who will play in Bucharest, 60% were bought by Romanians. Few host cities have recorded such local interest.
Do you think that it is possible to create a festive spirit during the competition with only four organized matches: three in hens and one 8es final?
The enthusiasm was present in the past in Romania whereas no match was there. As mentioned earlier, football is very popular. In addition, I am aware of the efforts of our partner, the city of Bucharest, who has planned a fan-zone for thirty-one days in the city center.
It will be the longest street festival ever held in Romania, with a large number of attractions for football fans.
The formula of this Euro, organized in several cities of the continent, with a phase of complicated qualifications, is much criticized in Western Europe. What is your point of view in Romania?
We are aware that without such a formula, Romania could not have organized such an important football competition so soon. We therefore thank UEFA for its choice, which makes it possible, among other things, to mobilize more than a thousand volunteers.
Without funding from European funds, we would not have the opportunity to create a guide to good practices in the organization of major competitions and to develop football-related infrastructures (3 new stadiums, 400 sports camps for juniors and special football pitches for the visually impaired).
What did you think of the criticism of the new Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, appointed on November 4, for the previous government: "The work did not advance an inch for four years" ? Should we be worried?
Of course, we would all like to have the four stages completed (only two will be according to Mr. Orban). But these facilities were only to be used for team training sessions. We have enough other infrastructure. All games will be played in the National Arena.
What we can note is that since we were designated host country, six governments have succeeded each other in Romania. There was of course continuity thanks to the national investment company, but it was almost necessary for each government to start from scratch the information and the implementation of the project.
The new stadiums may not be ready for Euro 2020, but they will be in 2020 and will be a legacy of the competition. Which, for the federation, is extraordinary.
Can Romania in the future feed the ambition to organize a big football competition?
Ambition is not enough; we have been clear about this in the past. Proper logistics and organizational capacity are needed. And we will have all the necessary information after the Euro 2020.
We started working for this purpose, but we have to start from the bottom. UEFA has already granted us the right to organize the under-19 Euro in 2021.
The idea of a Euro in twelve countries was that of Michel Platini, when he headed UEFA. Do you thank him?
Yes of course. It is thanks to him that we entered the category of competition organizers. However, I would like to mention that the initiative of the former UEFA president was only an opportunity given to our Federation. The rest has been possible thanks to the considerable work done by our country to make this opportunity truly fruitful.
Did you understand all the terms of the draw, which sometimes looks like a puzzle?
For someone who is passionate about football and involved at the level of the federation, it's not difficult to understand. Of course, it's more complicated than in previous editions, but, ultimately, what matters is the show and experience offered to fans. And I am convinced that the Euro 2020 will fully satisfy thanks to this new format across the continent.
Do you think that the formula of this Euro can really participate in the revitalization of the football in the countries which do not profit from big financial means?
Most definitely, it's an opportunity. But this is not enough. We must add a lot of work, bring specialists from all fields that define football today – marketing, communication, digital, modern medicine, nutrition … They must reorganize the foundations of football.
The era of romantic football, when a cascade of dribbles and spectacular goals in acrobatic volleyball filled the stands and were enough to fund it, is long gone.
Football occupies an increasingly important place in the entertainment industry, especially since the 2000s, with unprecedented globalization.
