Former European Cup winners Steaua to rename club

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Steaua Bucharest, the 1986 European Cup winners, are to rename their club FCSB in a bid to get licence to play in next season's Romanian championship and European competitions, owner Gigi Becali said on Wednesday.

The announcement came two months after a court confirmed that the defence ministry had the rights to use the Steaua brand and symbols related to it.

"I changed the official name to FCSB," Becali said. "But they cannot change the nature, it's left to God. The world knows us as Steaua."

Steaua are Romania's most successful club with 26 league titles. They are second in the standings, six points behind Viitorul Constanta who are led by former Romania and Steaua great Gheorghe Hagi.

(Reporting by Angel Krasimirov, editing by Ed Osmond)