Clubul Sportiv Tunari, commonly known as CS Tunari, or simply as Tunari, is a Romanian football club based in Tunari, Ilfov County, currently competes in Liga II, the second tier of the Romanian football. Founded in 1980, the club situated near Bucharest, was re-branded as CS Tunari in 2004.

CS Tunari
Full nameClubul Sportiv Tunari
Nickname(s)Tunarii (The Gunners)
Arsenal
Short nameTunari
Founded1980; 44 years ago (1980)
as Arsenal Tunari
GroundTunari
Capacity1,300
OwnerArsenal Tunari Central
ChairmanFlorin Vlădilă
Head coachDan Alexa
LeagueLiga II
2022–23Liga III, Seria IV, 1st
(promoted via play-offs)
WebsiteClub website
Current season

History edit

CS Tunari was founded in 1980 under the name of Arsenal Tunari, the name change occurring in 2004, when they were forced to give up the "Arsenal" name because of copyright.[1] During the same period, a new stadium was constructed in the commune near Bucharest and Tunari obtained a place in the third tier in 2009, since then being a constant presence at this level, registering the following rankings: 9th (2009–10), 7th (2010–11), 10th (2011–12), 13th (2012–13), 8th (2013–14), 4th (2014–15), 12th (2015–16), 3rd (2016–17), 7th (2017–18), 6th (2018–19), 4th (2019-20), 5th (2020-21) and 2nd (2021-22).

 
The venue in 2022

Tunari means "Gunners" in Romanian, and the commune has on its coat of arms a cannon, fact that brought the original name, a tribute to English football club Arsenal F.C. and the nickname "The Gunners". In 2018 the club changed its logo and colors choosing a white and red combination instead of red and blue, also adding on the logo the name "Arsenal", but without changing the club name. In 2009, in an interview granted to sport.ro, Lucian Costache, chairman of the club reported how in 1996, when the club was still named Arsenal Tunari, they sent a letter to the English club asking for some original kits, but no answer was ever received.[2]

In June 2023 it promoted for the very first time in its history to the Liga II.

Ground edit

CS Tunari plays its home matches on the Comunal Stadium in Tunari, with a capacity of 1,000 seats. The stadium was renovated and expanded in 2004 for the sum of 400,000 lei, at that time approximately 84,000 .[1] In 2017 the stadium was renovated again and the pitch was changed.[3]

During the 2023–24 season, Tunari Stadium underwent renovations, prompting the team to relocate their matches to the Central Stadium of the Romanian National Football Centre.[4]

Chronology of names edit

Name Period
Arsenal Tunari 1992–2004
CS Tunari 2004–present

Honours edit

Players edit

First team squad edit

As of 7 April 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   ROU Mihai Ciontoș
4 DF   ROU Deniz Giafer (on loan from Dinamo București)
5 DF   ROU Mihai Leca (3rd captain)
6 MF   ROU Cosmin Costea (on loan from Farul Constanța)
7 MF   ROU Paul Mitrică
8 DF   ROU Cristian Bustea (Captain)
9 FW   ROU Alexandru Melniciuc (on loan from Universitatea Craiova)
10 MF   ROU Dragoș Gheorghe
11 MF   ROU Valentin Borcea (on loan from Dinamo București)
12 GK   ROU Valentin Mărgărit (on loan from Voluntari)
13 MF   ROU Eduard Feraru
15 MF   ROU Lucian Ion
16 MF   ROU Rareș Stanciu (on loan from Rapid București)
19 FW   ROU Gabriel Plumbuitu
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 DF   ROU Andrei Sin
21 FW   ROU Atanas Trică (on loan from Universitatea Craiova)
22 DF   ROU Luca Florică
28 MF   ROU Vasile Constantin
33 GK   ROU George Isvoranu
34 DF   ROU Robert Barfă
44 FW   MKD Mirko Ivanovski (Vice-captain)
55 DF   POL Kamil Wiktorski
71 FW   ROU Mario Bobea
80 MF   ROU Mario Tache (on loan from Sport Team București)
83 MF   ROU Mihai Ene
95 FW   ROU Adrian Petre
99 DF   ROU Alexandru Sima

Out on loan edit

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK   ROU Valentin Meciu (on loan to Dinamic Kids Videle)
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF   ROU Alexandru Atomei (on loan to Gloria Băneasa)

Club officials edit

League history edit

Former managers edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Poliţia din Balş a declanşat ancheta de la meciul cu CS Tunari, după ce a fost alertată de oficialii oltenilor" [Balș Police also launched an investigation involving the match against CS Tunari, after being notified by Oltenian officials] (in Romanian). libertatea.ro. 30 January 2014.
  2. ^ "Arsenal de Romania, in Tunari. VEZI cum isi poate gasi linistea Gigi Becali!" [Arsenal of Romania, in Tunari. SEE how Gigi Becali could find his peace!] (in Romanian). sport.ro. 9 October 2009.
  3. ^ "Acasă din retur. CS Tunari revine în primăvară pe gazonul propriu" [Back home. CS Tunari returns in the spring on the grass of its own stadium] (in Romanian). ilfovsport.ro. 1 November 2017.
  4. ^ "La Tunari au început lucrările de modernizare a suprafeței de joc a stadionului de fotbal". prosport.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 12 March 2024.

External links edit