Soccer-Steaua coach Radoi can sit on bench for domestic matches

BUCHAREST, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Steaua Bucharest coach Mirel Radoi is eligible to sit on the bench for domestic matches despite a UEFA touchline ban but faces suspension if he gives instructions to his players, Romania's football federation (FRF) said on Thursday. The announcement comes three days after European soccer's governing body imposed a touchline ban on Radoi because he lacks a coaching licence and fined Romanian champions Steaua 50,000 euros ($55,960.00). "Radoi will be able to sit on the bench but without giving any instructions," the FRF's technical commission said in a statement, adding that the Steaua coach faces a touchline ban of between four and six matches if he violates the ruling. Former Romania centre back Radoi has been barred from the technical area for European club competitions, with Steaua, who won the 1986 European Cup, hosting Norwegian league runners-up Rosenborg in their Europa League playoff first leg on Thursday. Radoi, who made his coaching debut when he replaced Constantin Galca as Steaua boss in May, was officially appointed as the club's sporting director. However, the 34-year-old was on the bench for the games against AS Trencin and Partizan Belgrade in the Champions League preliminary rounds this season. Partizan beat Steaua 4-2 on aggregate to consign them to the Europa League playoffs. Italian Massimo Pedrazzini, Steaua's 'official' head coach, attended European post-match news conferences. "We shouldn't have told the truth," Steaua's straight-talking owner Gigi Becali, who was released from jail on parole in April after serving a third of his sentence of three years and six months for multiple crimes, said following UEFA's ban. "We should have just said that Radoi is the technical director. However, Radoi doesn't need to be on the bench. He'll stay next to me, in the VIP box." ($1 = 0.8935 euros) (Reporting by Angel Krasimirov; editing by Ken Ferris)