Overview
- Mircea Lucescu confirmed he will be on the bench for Romania's playoff semifinal in Istanbul after receiving medical clearance.
- He said he has been hospitalized three times since December and has chosen not to disclose the illness to keep focus on the team.
- Lucescu described Beşiktaş's stadium as an "impossible atmosphere" and plans to prepare less experienced players for the intense noise.
- He continued working through his hospital stays by reviewing opponents and coordinating with staff, stressing he would not "leave like a coward."
- Italian outlets citing his interview with The Guardian reported that the federation lacked a replacement, while coverage also underscores the stakes of a first World Cup since 1998 across a tournament hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.