winter break as the leader of the first division. First seven rounds of the second part of the season were very weak and Progresul recorded five defeats and two draws. Liță Dumitru was sacked and replaced by Viorel Hizo, who had been recently sacked by Rapid. "The bankers" ended the championship in the 6th position and was believed by the majority of supporters that Cornel Dinu's departure to Dinamo contributed to the drop in form. The chairman of the club became, the former player of the team, Gino Iorgulescu and Marin Dună was very close of being the goalscorer of the Romanian championship, ending on the third position of the podium. From the first round of the 1995–96 season FC Național was able to evolve on the recently built Cotroceni Stadium, which benefited of covered stands, electronic scoreboard and modern floodlights. Next, to the stadium, a new gym and a micro-hotel, as well as a tennis complex, were built. Thus, at almost 10 years after the closing down of Dr. Staicovici Stadium, "the bankers" could play again their home matches in the Sycamore Park. The move was auspicious, so, at the end of the first part of the season, Progresul was ranked 6th, although the start was not too good, "the bleu and blues" being the last after seven rounds, but the new coach Florin Halagian and Gino Iorgulescu's management have recovered the situation. Day of 20 April 1996 remained permanently in the memory of the supporters, who at the end of the game which was played on the Cotroceni Stadium against FC Brașov chanted happily: "Vice-champions, vice-champions!". The team climbed up from the middle of the table up to the second place, from a 6-17 goal difference to an unbelievable 60-44 and 60 points. Team's captain, Marin Dună, ranked second in the top scorer's table with 17 goals scored, being overtaken only by Ion Vlădoiu, credited with 25. Dună also appeared ranked second in the table made by Radio România Actualități to designate the best footballer of that year, the winner was in the final Adrian Ilie. 1996–97 season started with a UEFA Cup adventure for "the barbers" who were eliminated in the third preliminary round by Club Brugge, 1–3 on aggregate, not before eliminating teams like Chornomorets Odesa and FK Partizan. 1997 was another outstanding year for FC Național which was ranked again 2nd, after a hand-to-hand combat