 In the summer of 2008, Mircea Rednic returned as coach having the mission to win the title and qualify Dinamo to the UEFA Champions League Group Stage.The first half of the season found Dinamo playing some modest games against the other title contenders like Rapid Bucharest, CFR Cluj or Unirea Urziceni but in the same time they managed to beat direct rivals for the title, FC Timişoara 3–0 away.Dinamo ended the first half of the season in first place after Unirea Urziceni lost the last game against Steaua Bucharest.