West Ham United are set to host FCSB in the Europa Conference League, so where are the last Irons XI to face a Romanian side in a UEFA tournament now – including Winston Reid?
The Irons welcome FCSB to the London Stadium to kick off their Group B campaign for the European competition. David Moyes’ team secured their spot in the tournament with a 6-1 aggregate win against Viborg in the play-offs, whilst Ros-albastrii had to beat Viking FK 4-3.
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FCSB came through three qualifying rounds to seal their place in Group B with West Ham, Anderlecht and Silkeborg. Nicolae Dica’s Liga I outfit overcame FC Saburtalo Tbilisi 4-3 and Dunajska Streda 2-0 over two-legs before facing Viking at the final hurdle for qualification.
West Ham will now host FCSB to kick off their Europa Conference League run on Thursday night. The match marks the ninth game that the Hammers have played against a Romanian outfit to date. And Moyes will strive to claim only the Irons’ second win in all competitions.
The east London natives have previously faced Astra Giurgiu four times for two draws and two defeats, Steaua Bucharest twice for one draw and one defeat and Poli AEK twice for a win and a defeat. West Ham’s sole win was back in October 1980 in the Cup Winners’ Cup.
UEFA drew the Hammers and Astra Giurgiu in successive Europa League qualifying runs in 2015/16 and 2016/17. But the Irons could not advance from either, and just three of those who played for West Ham the last time they faced a Romanian side are still at the club now.
Darren Randolph (GK): West Ham re-signed star who faced Astra Giurgiu in 2016
Darren Randolph started in goal the last time West Ham faced a Romanian side, but could not keep a clean sheet. Filipe Teixeira beat the Irishman with the only goal as Astra Giurgiu won 1-0 on aggregate to progress beyond the Europa League qualifying round tie in 2016.
The Hammers would sell Randolph to Middlesbrough at the end of the 2016/17 term after two years in east London for £5m. Yet West Ham would re-sign the shot-stopper in 2020 for £4m, after which he has gone on to reach 52 games for the Irons with 15 clean sheets.
Sam Byram (RB): Star of last West Ham XI to face a Romanian side now at Norwich
Sam Byram was among the players Slaven Bilic started the last time West Ham faced a side from Romania, but now plies his trade at Norwich City. The Canaries paid around £750k for the right-back in 2019 after 36 games in claret-and-blue. He has since had 42 for Norwich.
Winston Reid (CB): Free agent captained West Ham in last game vs a Romanian side
Reid captained West Ham in the club’s last fixture against a Romanian side in August 2016 at home to Astra Giurgiu. But the 34-year-old now finds himself as a free agent a year after leaving the London Stadium, having agreed to mutually terminate his 11-year Irons career.
The 32-cap New Zealand centre-half sought to leave east London after falling down Moyes’ pecking order. Reid was unable to regain a presence at West Ham after brief loan spells to Brentford and Kansas City after he missed 19 months of action with a serious knee injury.
Reece Burke (CB): West Ham product now plying his trade at Luton Town
Reece Burke was a product of West Ham’s academy and graduated from the club’s youth ranks for 15 first-team games. But the 26-year-old was unable to make the grade after a handful of loans, and joined Hull City in 2018 until his move to Luton Town in July 2021.
Angelo Ogbonna (LB): Still at West Ham now from last game vs a Romanian side
Angelo Ogbonna is one of the few players still at West Ham now from the Irons’ last game against a Romanian side in 2016. The Italian joined the Hammers from Juventus in 2015 for £10m, and he has gone on to enjoy 206 appearances in all competitions in claret-and-blue.
Havard Nordtveit (CDM): Free agent opened last West Ham game vs a Romanian side
Havard Nordtveit opened West Ham’s last game against a Romanian side, but is now a free agent six years later. The Irons signed the Norwegian as a free agent after leaving Borussia Monchengladbach in 2016, but he only lasted one year in east London for 21 games in all.
The 32-year-old was unable to settle in the Premier League, and returned to Germany with TSG Hoffenheim for £2m. Nordtveit would ultimately see out his five-year contract at Die Kraichgauer this June, following just 74 games plus a loan spell with Fulham during 2019.
Michail Antonio (RM): Still at West Ham now from last game vs a Romanian side
Michail Antonio is another of Bilic’s star players still at West Ham now from their last game against a Romanian side ahead of facing FSCB on Thursday. The six-cap Jamaican joined the Irons from Nottingham Forest in 2015 for £7m and now has 63 goals across 236 games.
Cheikhou Kouyate (CM): Nottingham Forest have just signed former West Ham star
Nottingham Forest have just signed former West Ham star Cheikhou Kouyate, after sealing a free transfer having left Crystal Palace at the end of his contract in June. The 32-year-old spent four years at the Irons from 2014 to ‘18 for 147 appearances, 15 goals and 10 assists.
Pedro Obiang (CM): Midfielder still at Sassuolo since West Ham sale in 2019
Pedro Obiang has spent the past three years in Serie A with Sassuolo since switching from West Ham for £7m, plus add-ons. The 11-cap Equatorial Guinea international enjoyed four years in east London after joining from Sampdoria in 2015 over which he played 116 times.
Gokhan Tore (LM): Free agent opened last West Ham game vs a Romanian side
Bilic started Gokhan Tore in West Ham’s last game against a Romanian side, but the winger is now a free agent. The 30-year-old has been without a club since leaving Besiktas in June, after eight years at the Super Lig side – which included a loan spell to the Irons in 2016/17.
Jonathan Calleri (ST): Sao Paulo sign former West Ham striker from Maldonado
Sao Paulo signed former West Ham striker Jonathan Calleri from Deportivo Maldonado in July. The 28-year-old had been under contract with the Uruguayan Primera Division team since 2016, but spent seven periods away on loan – including to the Irons during 2016/17.
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