Steaua Challenge Mid-season Update

Things are looking promising for my Steaua Bucharest side at mid-season, although it's nothing to impressive happening. I am still searching for the best players in FM 2009 and still adjusting the tactics, but overall I am pleased by what I got.

So, here's the mid-season analysis. We'll start with the most important part, the Champions League. After I managed to defeat a stronger Galatasaray side, I got a hot group with Inter, Werder Bremen and Rapid Wien. Unfortunately, I was not able to provide any shockers and only coasted over the Rapid side, being defeated by both other teams, so I'm going to play in the UEFA cup next:
Interestingly, the title challengers CFR Cluj who got a much worse group (with Real Madrid, Juventus and Celtic) managed a surprising away draw with Real and won their home game with Celtic. However, they did not manage to qualify further.

The Romanian First League Standings provide no shockers either except for title favorites Rapid Bucharest being somewhere midtable and showing no signs of improvement. On the other hand, Dinamo Bucharest has an incredibly strong team with high quality players and they managed to defeat me while playing at home, but still I am one point ahead of them and my team Steaua Bucharest finishes the mid-season at number 1. Hopefully the things will remain the same for the future, too.Lastly, I should brag with two great signings I made and I'm quite proud of. First of all, I managed to snap Marvin Angulo from Herediano, a world class youngster with bags of potential and ability and, coming this January, Javi Garcia who strangely accepted my offer and will leave Real Madrid (indeed, he was transer listed there, but still). With these two players I hope I'll manage an even better performance next. I'll keep you updated.