First Division. Romanian football was defined by traditional rivalry between Steaua and Dinamo, only it reached new level in the 1980s. The talented new generation of players was still a bit dispersed, so at least one more club was enjoying good time at the moment – Sportul Studentesc. But the provincial clubs, so strong in the 1970s, were already pushed down: the championship was entirely Bucharest battle and nobody came close to the three leaders of the this championship.
Politehnica (Iasi) was last with 24 points.
A rather mysterious club was 17th with 26 points. FC Maramures (Baia Mare). The name was never clearly established – written alternatively Maramures or Baia Mare. The name changed during the years, but when it was Maramures and when Baia Mare? May be the name was not even important – the club was lowly and why anybody should care about the correct name of the relegated?
Jiul (Petrosani) finished 16th with 28 points – they were doomed to relegation, because of worse goal-difference.
SC Bacau was lucky to survive – 15th with 28 points. Chimia (Ramnicu Vilcea) was 14th with 29 points. FC Olt (Scornicesti) – 13th with 30 points.
FCM Brasov – 12th with 30 points.
Rapid (Bucharest) – 11th with 30 points.
FC Bihor (Oradea) – 10th with 31 points.
Politehnica (Timisoara) – 9th with 32 points.
Corvinul (Hunedoara) – 8th with 32 points.
FC Arges (Pitesti) – 7th with 32 points.
ASA (Targu Mures) – 6th with 33 points.
Gloria (Buzau) – 5th with 34 points. Wonderful season for insignificant club, but so far the Romanian league was pretty much equal and shuffling up and down largely with escaping relegation in mind.
Universitatea (Craiova) was different category – 4th with 39 points. Traditionally strong, but arguably the leader of Romanian football in the 1970s was going down. Not in crisis, but the center changed entirely to Bucharest.
Sportul Studentesc (Bucharest) was part of the shift of power back to Bucharest – 3rd with 48 points and sharing with Steaua the honor of scoring most goal this season – 71. Strong period, no doubt – they were fighting for the title, perhaps, entirely against the odds, for they had no powerful sponsors, but they had Gheorghe Hagi.
Dinamo (Bucharest) finished 2nd with 52 points. Bested Sportul Studentesc in the battle for the title, but lost to Steaua.
Steaua (Bucharest) won the title with 54 points. 23 wins, 8 ties, 3 losses, 71-24 goal-difference. By itself, nothing new about Steaua winning the championship. Even the rapid improvement of the team was not new – the new talented generation was already noticed and was concentrated in Dinamo and Steaua. Naturally, the best talent of the country was quickly snapped by these two clubs , thus, it was sure that Hagi would be the next target and the next clash between Dinamo and Steaua. However, Steaua started its rebuilding a bit later than Dinamo and already had the key players of the great young generation. It was more promising team and may be that was decisive – Hagi moved to Steaua. And soon this wonderful team will concur the world: powerful sponsors or not, the class of this team was most important in footballing terms.