Cristian Sapunaru
Encyclopedia
Ionuţ Cristian Săpunaru (born 5 April 1984 in Bucharest
) is a Romania
n footballer who plays for F.C. Porto in Portugal
. Mainly a right defender, he can also play as centre back.
In July 2008, he was transferred from Rapid for €
2.5 million and signed a five-year contract with Portugal
's F.C. Porto, with the Portuguese first division outfit owning 50% of the player's rights. Romanian sources indicated the price was actually €6 million plus two players. During his debut campaign, he was the first-choice right-back, as the northerners
achieved a double, and scored his first goal in a League Cup 1–2 away loss against C.D. Nacional.
In early February 2010, Săpunaru was suspended in Portugal – as his teammate Hulk – following incidents during a league loss at Sport Lisboa e Benfica (0–1), so he returned to his country for a five-month loan, joining former club Rapid. He did not manage to be played regularly at Porto during that time but, following his return for 2010–11, became a very important first-team unit as the team won three major titles, appearing in 40 official games.
on 31 May 2008 against Montenegro
, and was selected to the nation's squad at UEFA Euro 2008, although he did not play in the final stages.
Porto
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
) is a Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n footballer who plays for F.C. Porto in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Mainly a right defender, he can also play as centre back.
Club career
A product of FC Naţional Bucureşti's youth system, playing with the team since he was six years old, Săpunaru joined FC Rapid Bucureşti in July 2006.In July 2008, he was transferred from Rapid for €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
2.5 million and signed a five-year contract with Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
's F.C. Porto, with the Portuguese first division outfit owning 50% of the player's rights. Romanian sources indicated the price was actually €6 million plus two players. During his debut campaign, he was the first-choice right-back, as the northerners
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
achieved a double, and scored his first goal in a League Cup 1–2 away loss against C.D. Nacional.
In early February 2010, Săpunaru was suspended in Portugal – as his teammate Hulk – following incidents during a league loss at Sport Lisboa e Benfica (0–1), so he returned to his country for a five-month loan, joining former club Rapid. He did not manage to be played regularly at Porto during that time but, following his return for 2010–11, became a very important first-team unit as the team won three major titles, appearing in 40 official games.
International career
Săpunaru made his debut for the Romanian national teamRomania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
on 31 May 2008 against Montenegro
Montenegro national football team
The Montenegro national football team represents Montenegro in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Montenegro, the governing body for football in Montenegro...
, and was selected to the nation's squad at UEFA Euro 2008, although he did not play in the final stages.
Club statistics
(Correct as of 1 December 2011)| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Național | |||||||||
| 2002–03 | 4 | 0 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2003–04 | 1 | 0 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Callatis Mangalia FC Callatis Mangalia Callatis Mangalia is a Romanian professional football club from Mangalia, Constanţa County, founded in 1963 and currently playing in the Liga II.-History:... |
|||||||||
| 2003–04 | 10 | 0 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| Național | |||||||||
| 2004–05 | 6 | 0 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2005–06 | 23 | 3 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | 23 | 3 | |
| Rapid Bucureşti | |||||||||
| 2006–07 | 19 | 1 | ? | ? | 6 | 0 | 25 | 1 | |
| 2007–08 | 32 | 2 | ? | ? | 2 | 0 | 34 | 2 | |
| Porto | |||||||||
| 2008–09 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 25 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Rapid Bucureşti | |||||||||
| 2009–10 2009–10 Liga I The 2009–10 Liga I season was the ninety-second since its establishment. Unirea Urziceni were the defending champions.- Teams :Farul Constanţa, Otopeni and Gloria Buzău were relegated at the end of the 2008–09 season after finishing in 16th through 18th place... |
10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | |
| Porto | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | 19 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 41 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Primeira Liga -Personnel and kits:Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.-Managerial changes:-League table:-Positions by round:... |
5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 | |
| Career total | 151 | 11 | 18 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 204 | 12 | |
Club
Rapid Bucharest- Romanian Cup: 2006–07
- Romanian Supercup: 20072007 Supercupa RomânieiThe 2007 Supercupa României was the 10th edition of Romania's season opener cup competition. The match was played in Bucharest at Stadionul Naţional on 25 July 2009, and was contested between Liga I title holders, FC Dinamo Bucureşti and Cupa României champions, FC Rapid Bucureşti. The winner,...
Porto
- UEFA Europa League: 2010–11
- Portuguese League: 2008–09, 2010–11
- Portuguese CupTaça de PortugalThe Taça de Portugal is the main Portuguese national football knock-out competition. The tournament has been officially known as the Taça de Portugal Millennium since 2008, due to its sponsorship by Portuguese private bank Millennium BCP. It has occurred on a yearly basis since 1938 and is...
: 2008–09, 2009–102009–10 Taça de PortugalThe 2009–10 Taça de Portugal was the 70th season of the Taça de Portugal. The competition began on 30 August 2009, with the first round matches, and concluded with the final, held on 16 May at the Estádio Nacional, in Oeiras, between defending champions Porto and then Liga de Honra team Chaves...
, 2010–112010–11 Taça de PortugalThe 2010–11 Taça de Portugal, also known as Taça de Portugal Millennium for sponsorship reasons, is the 71st season of the Taça de Portugal. A total of 172 clubs from all four tiers of Portuguese football took part in this tournament... - Portuguese Supercup: 2009, 20102010 Supertaça Cândido de OliveiraThe 2010 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira is the 32nd Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Portuguese Liga and Portuguese Cup competitions. Played at Estádio Municipal de Aveiro, Aveiro, on 7 August 2010, and contested by league...
, 20112011 Supertaça Cândido de OliveiraThe 2011 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira was the 33rd edition of the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, the annual Portuguese football season-opening match contested by the winners of the previous season's top league and cup competitions... - UEFA Super Cup: Runner-up 20112011 UEFA Super Cup-External links:*, UEFA.com...