UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE - 2018/19 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Ilie Oană - Ploiesti Friday 7 September 2018 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Romania Group C4 - Matchday 1 Montenegro Last updated 07/09/2018 11:33CET Previous meetings 2 Squad list 3 Head coach 5 Match officials 6 Competition facts 7 Match-by-match lineups 10 Legend 11 1 Romania - Montenegro Friday 7 September 2018 - 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Match press kit Ilie Oană, Ploiesti Previous meetings Head to Head FIFA World Cup Stage Date Match Result Venue Goalscorers reached 04/09/2017 QR (GS) Montenegro - Romania 1-0 Podgorica Jovetić 75 04/09/2016 QR (GS) Romania - Montenegro 1-1 Cluj-Napoca Popa 85; Jovetić 87 Final Qualifying Total tournament Home Away Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L GF GA Total Romania 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 - - - - 3 1 1 1 5 2 Montenegro 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 - - - - 3 1 1 1 2 5 2 Romania - Montenegro Friday 7 September 2018 - 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Match press kit Ilie Oană, Ploiesti Squad list Romania Current season Qual. FT No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers 1 Costel Pantilimon 01/02/1987 31 Nottm Forest - 0 0 0 0 12 Ciprian Tătăruşanu 09/02/1986 32 Nantes - 0 0 0 0 Sparta 16 Florin Niță 03/07/1987 31 - 0 0 0 0 Praha Defenders 2 Romario Benzar 26/03/1992 26 FCSB - 0 0 0 0 3 Alin Toşca 14/03/1992 26 PAOK - 0 0 0 0 4 Cristian Manea 09/08/1997 21 CFR Cluj - 0 0 0 0 5 Mihai Bălașa 14/01/1995 23 FCSB - 0 0 0 0 6 Vlad Chiricheş 14/11/1989 28 Napoli - 0 0 0 0 Sparta 7 Alexandru Chipciu 18/05/1989 29 - 0 0 0 0 Praha 21 Tudor Băluţă 27/03/1999 19 Viitorul - 0 0 0 0 22 Cristian Săpunaru 05/04/1984 34 Kayserispor - 0 0 0 0 Midfielders 8 Mihai Pintilii 09/11/1984 33 FCSB - 0 0 0 0 10 Alexandru Maxim 08/07/1990 28 Mainz - 0 0 0 0 Universitatea 11 Nicusor Bancu 18/09/1992 25 - 0 0 0 0 Craiova Krylya 15 Paul Anton 10/05/1991 27 - 0 0 0 0 Sovetov 18 Adrian Stoian 11/02/1991 27 Crotone - 0 0 0 0 Universitatea 20 Ionuţ Mitriță 08/02/1995 23 - 0 0 0 0 Craiova Sparta 23 Nicolae Stanciu 07/05/1993 25 - 0 0 0 0 Praha Forwards 9 Dorin Rotariu 29/07/1995 23 AZ - 0 0 0 0 13 Claudiu Keșerü 02/12/1986 31 Ludogorets - 0 0 0 0 Al-Shabab 14 Constantin Budescu 19/02/1989 29 - 0 0 0 0 FC 17 Denis Drăguş 06/07/1999 19 Viitorul - 0 0 0 0 19 George Ţucudean 30/04/1991 27 CFR Cluj - 0 0 0 0 Coach - Cosmin Contra 15/12/1975 42 - 0 0 0 0 3 Romania - Montenegro Friday 7 September 2018 - 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Match press kit Ilie Oană, Ploiesti Montenegro Current season Qual. FT No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers 1 Danijel Petković 25/05/1993 25 Lorient - 0 0 0 0 Budućnost 12 Milan Mijatović 26/07/1987 31 - 0 0 0 0 Podgorica 13 Damir Ljuljanović 23/02/1992 26 Titograd - 0 0 0 0 Defenders Crvena 2 Filip Stojković 22/01/1993 25 - 0 0 0 0 zvezda 5 Boris Kopitović 17/09/1994 23 Čukarički - 0 0 0 0 6 Žarko Tomašević 22/02/1990 28 Oostende - 0 0 0 0 15 Stefan Savić 08/01/1991 27 Atlético - 0 0 0 0 21 Risto Radunović 04/05/1992 26 Astra - 0 0 0 0 22 Marko Simić 16/06/1987 31 Pakhtakor - 0 0 0 0 Midfielders 4 Nikola Vukčević 13/12/1991 26 Levante - 0 0 0 0 7 Nebojša Kosović 24/02/1995 23 Partizan - 0 0 0 0 8 Deni Hočko 22/04/1994 24 Famalicao - 0 0 0 0 10 Marko Janković 09/07/1995 23 Partizan - 0 0 0 0 16 Vladimir Jovović 26/10/1994 23 Jablonec - 0 0 0 0 Slovan 17 Vukan Savićević 29/01/1994 24 - 0 0 0 0 Bratislava 19 Aleksandar Šćekić 12/12/1991 26 Partizan - 0 0 0 0 20 Mirko Ivanić 13/09/1993 24 BATE - 0 0 0 0 23 Darko Zorić 12/09/1993 24 Čukarički - 0 0 0 0 Forwards Waasland- 3 Aleksandar Boljević 12/12/1995 22 - 0 0 0 0 Beveren 9 Stefan Mugoša 26/02/1992 26 Incheon - 0 0 0 0 M. 11 Fatos Bećiraj 05/05/1988 30 - 0 0 0 0 Netanya Arsenal 14 Luka Djordjević 09/07/1994 24 - 0 0 0 0 Tula 18 Sead Haksabanovic 04/05/1999 19 Málaga - 0 0 0 0 Coach - Ljubiša Tumbakovic 02/09/1952 66 - 0 0 0 0 4 Romania - Montenegro Friday 7 September 2018 - 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Match press kit Ilie Oană, Ploiesti Head coach Cosmin Contra Date of birth: 15 December 1975 Nationality: Romanian Playing career: Politehnica Timişoara (three times), Dinamo Bucureşti, Alavés, AC Milan, Atlético Madrid, West Brom (loan), Getafe Coaching career: Politehnica Timişoara, Fuenlabrada, Petrolul Ploieşti, Getafe, Guangzhou, Alcorcón, Dinamo Bucureşti, Romania • Started and ended his playing career with his home-town club Politehnica Timişoara, heading to Spain in 1999 after a spell in the Romanian capital with Dinamo Bucureşti. • A major hit with Alavés, the attacking right-back helped the little-known club to reach the 2000/01 UEFA Cup final in their first season in European competition, scoring three goals and putting in a fine performance in the final – a 5-4 loss to Liverpool after extra time in Dortmund. • Played for Milan, Atlético and West Brom then, after a spell back at Politehnica, helped Getafe make it to the 2007/08 UEFA Cup quarter-finals. Played in his second UEFA European Championship in summer 2008, and won the last of his 73 Romania caps in 2010, more than 14 years after his international debut. • Moved from pitch to bench at Timişoara, working briefly as player-coach. After a spell in Spain, led Petrolul to 2012/13 Romanian Cup success, then returned to save Getafe from relegation in 2014 before trying his luck in China. • Having won the 2016/17 Romanian League Cup with Dinamo Bucureşti he was hired as Romania coach in September 2017, promptly winning six of his first eight matches in charge. Ljubiša Tumbaković Date of birth: 2 September 1952 Nationality: Serbian Playing career: Partizan, Vardar (loan), Radnički Sombor (loan) Coaching career: Radnički Beograd, Obilić, Khaitan, Partizan (youth), Partizan (twice), AEK Athens, Al Nassr, Shandong Luneng, Steel Azin, Wuhan Zall, Montenegro • Belgrade-born Tumbaković started in the Radnički Beograd academy at the age of ten before moving on to the Partizan youth ranks two years later. He never appeared for the senior Partizan side in a competitive match and most of his professional playing career was spent on loan. • Tumbaković went on to coach Partizan for nearly a decade in two separate spells, from 1992 to 1999 and 2000 to 2002. He won six league titles and three domestic cups to establish himself as one of the most successful ever Yugoslavian coaches. • Had a solitary season in charge of AEK Athens either side of his two Partizan stints, leading the capital club to third in the Greek top flight. • Tumbaković was later at the helm of Chinese sides Shandong Luneng – with whom he won two Super League titles and two domestic cups – and Wuhan Zall, as well as having spells in Saudi Arabia and Iran. • Appointed Montenegro coach in January 2016 and oversaw a strong start to 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification only for successive defeats against Armenia and Poland to prove crucial, Tumbaković's side missing out on a play-off place after losing their last two fixtures against Denmark and, for a second time, Poland. 5 Romania - Montenegro Friday 7 September 2018 - 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Match press kit Ilie Oană, Ploiesti Match officials Referee Ivan Kružliak (SVK) Assistant referees Tomaš Somolani (SVK) , Branislav Hancko (SVK) Additional assistant referees Filip Glova (SVK) , Michal Ocenáš (SVK) Fourth official Tomaš Mokoš (SVK) UEFA Delegate Michael Zoratti (AUT) UEFA Referee observer Matteo Trefoloni (ITA) Referee Name Date of birth UEFA matches Ivan Kružliak 24/03/1984 0 63 UEFA Nations League matches between the two teams No such matches refereed Other matches involving teams from either of the two countries involved in this match Stage Date Competition Home Away Result Venue reached 28/08/2014 UEL PO GNK Dinamo Zagreb FC Petrolul Ploieşti 2-1 Zagreb 11/10/2015 EURO QR Faroe Islands Romania 0-3 Torshavn 6 Romania - Montenegro Friday 7 September 2018 - 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Match press kit Ilie Oană, Ploiesti Competition facts What is the background to the UEFA Nations League? The rejuvenation of national team football – and the UEFA Nations League – stems from the desire of UEFA and its 55 member associations to improve the quality and standing of national team football. UEFA and its associations wanted more sporting meaning in national team football, with associations, coaches, players and supporters increasingly of the opinion that friendly matches are not providing adequate competition for national teams. Extensive consultation and discussions started as far back as the 2011 UEFA Strategy Meeting in Cyprus and continued at a series of Top Executive Programme (TEP) meetings over the following three years.