He’s probably a Mourinho target! Cheeky footballer intercepts rivals’ message from manager (VIDEO)
Quick-thinking FC Steaua București attacking midfielder Raul Rusescu has been heralded for his cunning interception of Rapid Wien players’ written instructions from their manager - by snatching them and screwing them up.
During the second leg of their UEFA Europa League third round qualifying match in the Romanian capital, Rapid Wien were defending a corner when a note was passed from the dugout to Wien's Stefan Schwab.
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As the midfielder unfolded the handwritten orders, a lurking Rusescu yanked the paper from his hands, screwed it up, and threw it on the floor, much to Schwab’s protestations. Rusescu’s actions went unpunished however, as a player cannot be reprimanded for such an offence.
This deserves the Puskas Award!!! It doesn't need to be a goal, it just needs to be brilliant. And Raul Rusescu's wonderful way of stopping Rapid Wien from communicating with their manager is just... AMAZING. A true legend. Probably a target for Mourinho right now. pic.twitter.com/P3bhwejLG0
— Emanuel Roşu (@Emishor) August 31, 2018
His actions garnered praise from the world of football, including Romanian journalist Emanuel Rosu, who suggested the player deserved to be given the FIFA Puskas Award, normally reserved for the ‘most beautiful’ goal scored in football. Some compared him to Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos for underhand tactics on the pitch.
Every day I'm more convinced I did right by naming my Chihuahua dog "Raul Rusescu"
— Ricardo E. (@RaebJV) August 31, 2018
Sergio Ramos levels that.
— Dominic Storey (@DominicStorey) September 1, 2018
“This deserves the Puskas Award!!! It doesn't need to be a goal, it just needs to be brilliant,” he tweeted. “And Raul Rusescu's wonderful way of stopping Rapid Wien from communicating with their manager is just... AMAZING. A true legend. Probably a target for Mourinho right now.”
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Rusescu's gamesmanship helped Steaua București to go on and win the game 2-1 despite going down to 10 men in second-half stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough to see them advance as they failed to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the first leg in Austria.
