# AFC Metalul Buzău

Asociația Fotbal Club Metalul Buzău, commonly known as Metalul Buzău, is a Romanian professional football club based in the city of Buzău, Buzău County, that competes in the Liga II.

## History

| Name | Period |
| Metalul Buzău | 1954–1996 |
| Metalcord Buzău | 1996–2007 |
| Metalul Buzău | 2007–present |
AFC Metalul Buzău was founded in 1954 as AS Metalul Buzău and was set up by the trade union of IUT Buzău. From the first season to the 1966 season, the team evolved into the county championship and in autumn of 66, the city of Buzău returned with a team in Divizia C, this team was Metalul.
In 1971, through a reorganization of the football from Buzău, Gloria Buzău was formed and taking a part of Metalul's players and the place in Divizia C, Gloria succeeded in the 1971–72 Divizia C season to occupy the 1st place in the series and after a play-off match at Ploiești to promote in Divizia B.
At the insistence of the workers from the IUT factory, in 1982 the football team was re-established. At that time Steaua Săhăteni, a small team from Buzău County played in Divizia C. Buzoienii merged with the team from Săhăteni and took its place in Liga III.
In 1996, following the association with CORD Buzău, Metalul became Metalcord Buzău. The last edition in which the team from Buzău evolved in the Liga III under this name was 2005–06 Divizia C season.
In the summer of 2007, the club returned to its former name AS Metalul Buzău and participated annually in the Buzău County Championship, the equivalent of the Liga IV in the Romanian football system.
The team was taken over in 2013 by the company Revicom Oil, changing its name in AFC Metalul Buzău.
At the end of 2016–17 Metalul won Liga IV – Buzău County and the promotion play-off match against CS Amara, the Ialomița County champion, 9–2 on aggregate and promoted back to Liga III after 10 years of absence.
In the 2019–20 season, Metalul achieved the club's best performance in Cupa României when reached Round of 16, after winning against Avântul Zărnești (3–0 by FA decision; 2nd Round), Gloria Buzău (3–2 after pen.; 3rd Round), CSM Focșani (1–0 a.e.t.; 4th Round), FK Miercurea Ciuc (1–0; Round of 32) and losing to Politehnica Iași (0–3; Round of 16).

## Stadium

The club plays its home matches on Metalul Stadium from Buzău.

## Rivalries

Although it is the oldest active football club in the Buzău County, Metalul has always lived in the shadow of Gloria Buzău, thus becoming their rivals.

## Honours

Liga III
* Winners (2): 2022–23, 2023–24
Divizia D / Liga IV – Buzău County
* Winners (5): 1981–82, 1989–90, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2016–17
* Runners-up (1): 2015–16
Ploiești Regional Championship
* Winners (1): 1965–66

## Players
### First team squad

    As of 24 February 2025
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ROU | Costel Toader |
| 2 | DF | ROU | Claudiu Juncănaru |
| 3 | DF | ROU | Darius Grosu (on loan from Farul Constanța) |
| 4 | DF | ROU | Alberto Olaru (3rd captain) |
| 5 | DF | ROU | Ion Spătaru |
| 6 | MF | JPN | Yasuhiro Hanada |
| 8 | MF | ROU | Dan Stan |
| 9 | FW | ROU | Ionuț Pelivan (on loan from Farul Constanța) |
| 10 | MF | ROU | Marius Tudorică (Captain) |
| 11 | FW | ROU | Sabin Moldovan |
| 13 | DF | ROU | Ianis Croitoru (on loan from Farul Constanța) |
| 14 | FW | ROU | Eduard Lambrinoc |
| 15 | DF | ROU | Ciprian Perju |
| 17 | MF | ROU | Florin Opaiț |
| 18 | DF | ROU | Răzvan Radu (on loan from FCSB) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | MF | ROU | Robert Vîlcu (on loan from UTA Arad) |
| 20 | FW | ROU | Dragoş Lazăr (on loan from Gloria Buzău) |
| 23 | DF | ROU | Marian Manea (Vice-captain) |
| 24 | MF | TOG | Charles Acolatse |
| 25 | GK | ROU | Iulian Dinu |
| 26 | FW | ROU | Matei Constantinescu |
| 28 | MF | ROU | Valentin Robu |
| 30 | MF | SUI | Davide Jozić |
| 33 | DF | ROU | Bogdan Panaite |
| 44 | GK | ROU | George Micle |
| 70 | MF | ROU | Alin Manea |
| 77 | DF | ROU | Eduard Rusu (on loan from CS Dinamo București) |
| 97 | MF | ROU | Alin Nica |
| 98 | MF | ROU | Saim Tudor |
| 99 | MF | ROU | Claudiu Borțoneanu |

### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ROU | Alberto Câșlariu (on loan to Sport Team) |
| — | DF | ROU | Andrei Trandafir (on loan to Viitorul Ianca) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ROU | Alexandru Sandu (on loan to Petrolul Berca) |
| — | FW | ROU | Andrei Fadei (on loan to Unirea Braniștea) |

## Notable former players

The footballers enlisted below have had international cap(s) for their respective countries at junior and/or senior level and/or significant caps for AFC Metalul Buzău.

### Romania

* Paul Batin
* Patrick Benga
* Sebastian Ghinga
* Mihai Ion
* Sorin Ispir
* Vasile Lazăr
* Vasilică Mihăeș
* Andrei Pavel
* Ștefan Păun
* Ionuț Radu
* Nicola Vasile

## League history

| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Notes | Cupa României |
| 2024–25 | 2 | Liga II | TBD | | |
| 2023–24 | 3 | Liga III (Seria II) | 1st (C) | Promoted | |
| 2022–23 | 3 | Liga III (Seria II) | 1st (C) | | |
| 2021–22 | 3 | Liga III (Seria II) | 4th | | |
| 2020–21 | 3 | Liga III (Seria IV) | 4th | | |
| 2019–20 | 3 | Liga III (Seria II) | 11th | | Round of 16 |
| 2018–19 | 3 | Liga III (Seria I) | 7th | | |
| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Notes |
| 2017–18 | 3 | Liga III (Seria II) | 5th | |
| 2016–17 | 4 | Liga IV (BZ) | 1st (C) | Promoted |
| 2005–06 | 3 | Divizia C (Seria II) | 12th | Relegated |
| 2004–05 | 4 | Divizia D (BZ) | 1st (C) | Promoted |
| 1991–92 | 3 | Divizia C (Seria IV) | 8th | Relegated |
| 1990–91 | 3 | Divizia C (Seria III) | 4th | |