Libor Sionko
Encyclopedia
Libor Sionko is a Czech
footballer currently playing for Sparta Prague.
, Sparta Prague, Banik Ostrava and Rangers
. Playing successfully for Sparta in the Czech League
and UEFA Champions League
, where Sparta in two occasions (1999-00 and 2003–04), got through from the group stage. He left Prague, due to contract problems, to join high-rising Grazer Athletik Klub in February 2004, helping to achieve the first ever Austrian championship for the Styrians. He also was in the team winning the Austrian Cup for the 4th time.
After that remarkable success and change to Austria Vienna, he was a principal for a very successful challenge in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup
, when the Viennese side reached the quarter-final. In 2005–06 the Czech player was an Austrian double winner a second time.
transfer to Rangers
on 16 May 2006 on a three year contract.
He scored on his SPL debut against Motherwell
on 30 July 2006 in the Gers' 2–1 win. Frequent injury, however, meant that he was used intermittently by Paul Le Guen. He re-established himself in the team in December 2006 where he scored against Hibernian
and Aberdeen
, as Rangers' form improved after a poor start to the season.
On 27 July 2007, it was announced Rangers have agreed a deal for the transfer of Sionko to the Danish champions
F.C. Copenhagen, and the next day he was presented in the club after signing a 2 year deal.
On 4 August came Sionko's debut for the club, where he assisted in the single goal at the 1–0 victory away against AGF. His first goal for the club came in his second match, and his home debut at Parken Stadium, against Esbjerg fB
notching a 5–2 victory. Afterwards he started the next six matches at the bench, but on 23 September he was back in the lineup in his first New Firm Derby
against Brøndby IF
. This match ended 1–0 for FCK, the goal assisted by Sionko. Afterwards he has scored twice in a cup
match against FC Fredericia
and once against Lyngby Boldklub
– in both matches he was named man of match.
Following the Lyngby-match, Sionko told fck.dk that his family has settled down well in Copenhagen and that he calls Copenhagen
his second home.
club.
41 times by the Czech Republic national team
, scoring 8 goals. He had been only a substitute for a long time, because his position of right winger was occupied by Karel Poborský
.
as the Czechs drew with the United States and Cameroon
and lost to Kuwait
, meaning they were eliminated at the group stage and finished bottom of their group.
for the 2006 World Cup
due to Vladimír Šmicer
being injured; however he only featured as a late substitute role in some games as the Czechs were knocked out in the group stage of the competition. Sionko's World Cup
debut came against Ghana
on 17 June 2006. Ghana won the game 2–0.
which sent the Portuguese through to the quarter-finals of the tournament. Sionko equalised in the 17th minute after Deco
had opened the scoring in the 8th minute. However, Cristiano Ronaldo
and Ricardo Quaresma
added two further goals for their team in the second half to leave the Czechs to battle it out with Turkey
in the final game of Group A
.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
footballer currently playing for Sparta Prague.
Early career
He previously played for Austria Vienna, Grazer AKGrazer AK
Grazer AK, founded 18 August 1902 as Grazer Athletik-Sport Klub , is an Austrian sports club, from the city of Graz in the federal state of Styria . The football section is one of the most traditional Austrian clubs, most successful in the decade 1995 – 2005...
, Sparta Prague, Banik Ostrava and Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. Playing successfully for Sparta in the Czech League
Gambrinus Liga
The Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
and UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, where Sparta in two occasions (1999-00 and 2003–04), got through from the group stage. He left Prague, due to contract problems, to join high-rising Grazer Athletik Klub in February 2004, helping to achieve the first ever Austrian championship for the Styrians. He also was in the team winning the Austrian Cup for the 4th time.
After that remarkable success and change to Austria Vienna, he was a principal for a very successful challenge in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
, when the Viennese side reached the quarter-final. In 2005–06 the Czech player was an Austrian double winner a second time.
Rangers & Copenhagen
He completed a BosmanBosman ruling
Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
transfer to Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
on 16 May 2006 on a three year contract.
He scored on his SPL debut against Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
on 30 July 2006 in the Gers' 2–1 win. Frequent injury, however, meant that he was used intermittently by Paul Le Guen. He re-established himself in the team in December 2006 where he scored against Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
and Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
, as Rangers' form improved after a poor start to the season.
On 27 July 2007, it was announced Rangers have agreed a deal for the transfer of Sionko to the Danish champions
Danish football champions
The Danish football champions are the winners of the highest league of football in Denmark. The title has been contested since 1913, in a varying form of competitions. Since 1991, the winners have been found through the Danish Superliga championship...
F.C. Copenhagen, and the next day he was presented in the club after signing a 2 year deal.
On 4 August came Sionko's debut for the club, where he assisted in the single goal at the 1–0 victory away against AGF. His first goal for the club came in his second match, and his home debut at Parken Stadium, against Esbjerg fB
Esbjerg fB
Esbjerg forenede Boldklubber also referred to as Esbjerg fB or simply EfB is a professional Danish football club from the port city of Esbjerg in West Jutland. The club was formed in 1924, as a merger between Esbjerg Boldklub af 1898 and Esbjerg Amatørklub af 1911. The club has training facilities...
notching a 5–2 victory. Afterwards he started the next six matches at the bench, but on 23 September he was back in the lineup in his first New Firm Derby
New Firm (Denmark)
The New Firm is a Danish football rivalry between the two big Copenhagen-teams, F.C. Copenhagen and Brøndby IF. The name is a play on the Old Firm rivalry that exists between the two Scottish football teams, Rangers and Celtic...
against Brøndby IF
Brøndby IF
Brøndby IF is a Danish professional football club based in Brøndbyvester, Brøndby, on the western outskirts of Copenhagen and is the biggest football club in Denmark with almost 2000 members. The club is also known as Brøndbyernes Idrætsforening, or Brøndby and BIF for short...
. This match ended 1–0 for FCK, the goal assisted by Sionko. Afterwards he has scored twice in a cup
Danish Cup
The Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...
match against FC Fredericia
FC Fredericia
FC Fredericia is a Danish professional football club, from the town of Fredericia. The club is currently playing in the Danish 1st Division.-History:...
and once against Lyngby Boldklub
Lyngby Boldklub
Lyngby Boldklub is a professional Danish football club founded in 1921. It is based at Lyngby Stadion in Kongens Lyngby, Denmark. From 1994 to 2001 the club was known as Lyngby FC.-History:...
– in both matches he was named man of match.
Following the Lyngby-match, Sionko told fck.dk that his family has settled down well in Copenhagen and that he calls Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
his second home.
Sparta Prague
Sionko was rarely used in the first team in the autumn of 2009, and in January 2010 he was released from his contract and subsequently signed with Sparta Prague. The midfielder has signed with the Czech club a contract until June 2012, after being released by the DanishDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
club.
International career
Sionko has represented his country at Under 17, Under 18, Under 20 and Under 21 level as well as playing twice in an unofficial friendly tournament in May 1998. He earned his first full cap in a friendly against Poland on 24 April 1999 and has been cappedCap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
41 times by the Czech Republic national team
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
, scoring 8 goals. He had been only a substitute for a long time, because his position of right winger was occupied by Karel Poborský
Karel Poborský
Karel Poborský is a former Czech footballer. A right winger, Poborský is the all-time leader in appearances for the Czech national team, and was most noted for his technical ability.-Club career:...
.
2000 Olympics
Sionko played in all three games at the 2000 OlympicsFootball at the 2000 Summer Olympics
The football tournament at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the 20th official Olympic football tournament. A women's tournament was held for the second time.-Medal winners:-Venues:*Olympic Stadium, Sydney*Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney*Bruce Stadium, Canberra...
as the Czechs drew with the United States and Cameroon
Cameroon national football team
The Cameroon national football team, nicknamed Les Lions Indomptables , is controlled by the Fédération Camerounaise de Football and is Africa's most successful side in FIFA world cup; having qualified for the FIFA World Cup six times – in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010– more than any...
and lost to Kuwait
Kuwait national football team
The Kuwait National Football Team is the national team of Kuwait and is controlled by the Kuwait Football Association. They made one World Cup Finals appearance, in 1982, managing a draw with Czechoslovakia but losing to England and France. During the match against France, France scored a goal...
, meaning they were eliminated at the group stage and finished bottom of their group.
2006 World Cup
He was called up to the Czech teamCzech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
for the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
due to Vladimír Šmicer
Vladimír Šmicer
Vladimír Šmicer is a former Czech football midfielder and forward player. Šmicer was a devout player of Slavia Prague, the only Czech club he ever played for. He also played notably for Lens in France, with whom he won the Ligue 1 title. In 1999, Šmicer moved to England, where he played several...
being injured; however he only featured as a late substitute role in some games as the Czechs were knocked out in the group stage of the competition. Sionko's World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
debut came against Ghana
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
on 17 June 2006. Ghana won the game 2–0.
Euro 2008
On 11 June, Sionko scored for the Czech Republic in their second game of Euro 2008, a 1–3 defeat to PortugalPortugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
which sent the Portuguese through to the quarter-finals of the tournament. Sionko equalised in the 17th minute after Deco
Deco
Anderson Luís de Souza, OIH , commonly known as Deco, is a Brazilian-born Portuguese professional footballer who currently plays for Fluminense....
had opened the scoring in the 8th minute. However, Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
and Ricardo Quaresma
Ricardo Quaresma
Ricardo Andrade Quaresma Bernardo is a Portuguese footballer of partial Romani descent who currently plays as a winger for Turkish Süper Lig side Beşiktaş J.K and the Portuguese national team. Quaresma began his career at Sporting Clube de Portugal, and has also played for FC Barcelona, FC Porto,...
added two further goals for their team in the second half to leave the Czechs to battle it out with Turkey
Turkey national football team
The Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
in the final game of Group A
UEFA Euro 2008 Group A
Group A of the 2008 UEFA European Championships is one of four groups competing of nations at UEFA Euro 2008. The group's first round of matches was played on 7 June, with the final round played on 15 June. All six group matches were played at venues in Switzerland, in Basel and Geneva...
.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 12 November 2003 | Na Stínadlech Na Stínadlech Na Stinadlech is a multi-purpose stadium in Teplice, Czech Republic. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FK Teplice. The stadium holds 18,221 and was built in 1973. The Czech Republic national football team often plays qualification games at the stadium and... , Teplice Teplice Teplice , Teplice-Šanov until 1948 is a town in the Czech Republic, the capital of the Teplice District in the Ústí nad Labem Region. It is the state's second largest spa town .... , Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |
4–0 | 5–1 | Friendly | |
| 2. | 6 September 2006 | Tehelné pole Tehelné pole -External links:*... , Bratislava Bratislava Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava... , Slovakia Slovakia The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south... |
0–1 | 0–3 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 3. | 6 September 2006 | Tehelné pole, Bratislava Bratislava Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava... , Slovakia Slovakia The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south... |
0–2 | 0–3 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 4. | 17 October 2007 | Allianz Arena Allianz Arena The Allianz Arena is a football stadium in the north of Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The two professional Munich football clubs FC Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 München have played their home games at Allianz Arena since the start of the 2005–06 season... , Munich Munich Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
0–1 | 0–3 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 5. | 30 May 2008 | Letná, Prague Prague Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million... , Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |
1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly | |
| 6. | 30 May 2008 | Letná, Prague Prague Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million... , Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |
3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly | |
| 7. | 11 June 2008 | Stade de Genève Stade de Genève Stade de Genève is a stadium in the greater Geneva, Switzerland area . It has a capacity of 30,084.-Overview:The stadium was completed in 2003 by Zschokke Construction S.A. after nearly three years of construction... , Geneva Geneva Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland... , Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
1–1 | 1–3 | UEFA Euro 2008 | |
| 8. | 15 October 2008 | Na Stínadlech Na Stínadlech Na Stinadlech is a multi-purpose stadium in Teplice, Czech Republic. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FK Teplice. The stadium holds 18,221 and was built in 1973. The Czech Republic national football team often plays qualification games at the stadium and... , Teplice Teplice Teplice , Teplice-Šanov until 1948 is a town in the Czech Republic, the capital of the Teplice District in the Ústí nad Labem Region. It is the state's second largest spa town .... , Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 3 The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 3 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised the Czech Republic, Poland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Slovenia and San Marino.... |
Honours
- Austrian Football Bundesliga: 2003–04, 2005–06
- Austrian CupAustrian CupThe Austrian Cup, in German: ÖFB-Cup is an annual football competition held by the Austrian Football Association, the ÖFB.It has been held since 1919, with the exception of the time of the Anschluss between 1939 and 1945 and the period between 1950 and 1958 when the competition was deemed of...
: 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–062005-06 Austrian CupThe Austrian Cup 2005–06 was the seventy-second season of Austria's nationwide football cup competition. It started on July 26, 2005 with the first game of the Preliminary Round. The final was held at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna on 9 May 2006.The competition was won by Austria Vienna after... - Danish SuperligaDanish SuperligaThe Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...
: 2008–09 - Danish CupDanish CupThe Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...
: 2008–09 - Gambrinus ligaGambrinus LigaThe Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
: 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03 - Czech Republic Football CupCzech Republic Football CupThe Czech Republic Football Cup is the major football cup competition in the Czech Republic. It is organised by the Czech Football Association....
: 2003–04