 In 2004, the ex-president of Oțelul Galați, now manager of Steaua București, Mihai Stoica, took him back to the team from Bucharest.When he returned to Steaua, Victor Piţurcă left to coach the Romanian national football team and Walter Zenga became Steaua's new manager.In September 2004, Ghionea went through an operation on his nose after the match against FK Voždovac.