Ionuț Radu says his absence from Romania’s November internationals is not a refusal of the national team but time needed to treat and rest a longstanding right-shoulder problem. His public explanation shifts the dispute away from assumptions about commitment and toward a medical decision that he says was discussed with Celta Vigo and the Romanian Football Federation.
In a statement reported by Digi24, Radu said he had played for months using temporary pain-management measures and had been unable to follow a normal training programme. He said the issue could no longer be handled simply by managing pain and required specific treatment and specialist-recommended rest.
The FRF had announced on 6 November that Radu would be unavailable for Romania’s Nations League matches against Poland in Bucharest on 14 November and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Zenica on 17 November. Digi24 reported that the federation said it had received a 1 November notification from Celta Vigo’s medical department describing a right-shoulder condition and old degenerative changes.
Radu says that he, his club and the FRF communicated about the situation and agreed that the international window should be used for treatment and recovery. That is the important point in this case: a player’s ability to appear for his club does not, by itself, settle whether delaying treatment is medically sensible.
Scrutiny of an international player’s availability is legitimate. But the material available does not include a full public medical diagnosis, a recovery timetable or a response from Romania’s coaching staff to the controversy. Nor does it support the claim that Radu tied his call-up to a guaranteed starting place, which he explicitly denied. On the evidence available, the absence should be described as a recovery decision communicated among player, club and federation, rather than proof that he has turned away from the national team.
Source: Digi24, reporting Radu’s statement and information attributed to the FRF: https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/sport/fotbal/portarul-ionut-radu-spune-de-ce-nu-vine-la-echipa-nationala-nu-este-o-decizie-luata-pe-ascuns-4029603
Sources
- Digi24 · Source date: 2026-11-10
Independent editorial content. WUA is not affiliated with any political party. 2026-11-10