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'Too much sex is costing Steaua' - Becali pinpoints reason for 1986 European Cup winners' poor form

Former European Cup champions FCSB are on a three-game winless run in the Romanian top flight, and owner Gigi Becali thinks it’s because his players are having too much sex.

Steaua, champions of Europe in 1986, finished the regular season eight points off the top of Liga 1, and were recently beaten 2-1 by city rivals Dinamo Bucharest.

Either side of that result, Steaua have struggled to draws against Academica Clinceni and Chindia Targoviste, two sides battling relegation to the second tier.

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"My players are making love with their girlfriends too often, that's why they aren't playing football so well lately,” Becali proclaimed after the Chindia game.

With a play-off round still to come, the regular league table was topped by CFR Cluj, under the management of former Chelsea player Dan Petrescu.

Cluj finished six points clear of second-placed Universitatea Craiova, and Becali believes Petrescu’s discipline is behind their good form.

"Look at Dan Petrescu," Becali said. "CFR players have sex only once a week. They meet with women only once a week.

"If [Steaua striker] Florinel Coman would have rested too ... but he is doing other things.”

FCSB are Romania’s most successful club, with 26 national titles to their name. Their trophy cabinet also boasts a record 23 Romanian Cups, and a record six Romanian Super Cups.

However, they are currently on a barren run, without a league title since 2015.

They have finished runners-up in each of the last four seasons behind Astra Giurgiu, Viitorul Constanta, and twice behind Cluj. Cluj are now on course for a third successive victory.

With the regular 26-game season over, the top six – including the Bucharest club – now go into a championship play-off round, with the bottom eight going into a relegation play-off.

With points tallies halved, the top six play each other home and away again to determine the title winner.

That means Steaua still have a chance to earn a first league title in five years, though they go into the play-off round as underdogs.

They start away to FC Botosani on February 29. Botosani finished one place and one point above Steaua, having finished the regular season with a six-game winning run.

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