Cristian Săpunaru

Club career

Early career and Porto

Săpunaru was born in Bucharest and is a product of Național București, joining its youth system at the age of only six. He signed for Rapid București in July 2006, and two years later was sold for €2.5 million to Porto as a replacement for Chelsea-bound José Bosingwa. Săpunaru agreed to a five-year contract, with the Primeira Liga club owning 50% of the player's economic rights, while Romanian sources indicated the price was actually €6 million plus two players.

During his debut campaign, Săpunaru was the first-choice right-back as the northerners achieved a double, and scored his first goal in a 1–2 away loss against Nacional for the Taça da Liga. In early February 2010, he was suspended in Portugal–as his teammate Hulk–following incidents during a 0–1 league defeat at Benfica, so he returned to his country for a five-month loan with former side Rapid; he did not manage to be played regularly at Porto during that time but, following his return for the 2010–11 season, became a very important first-team unit as they won three major titles, appearing in 40 official games in the process.

On 17 February 2014, Săpunaru was condemned to pay a €90,000 fine for his participation in the assault of two stewards at the Estádio da Luz on 20 December 2009.

Spain

On 31 August 2012, Săpunaru signed a one-year contract with La Liga club Real Zaragoza. He made his official debut on 16 September, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–2 loss at Real Sociedad.

In his first season in Aragon, Săpunaru started but also suffered team relegation. He also entered his name in the competition's history books, after breaking the record for the most bookings in a single campaign (19 yellow cards and one red).

After initially hesitating because of the requests of his partner, Săpunaru signed a one-year deal at fellow league team Elche on 25 July 2013. He totalled only nine appearances in his only campaign and was also sent off twice, while his sole goal opened a 1–2 loss at Valencian Community neighbours Levante on 13 December.

Elche could not support Săpunaru's €1 million wage demands, and released him on 21 August 2014. In October 2015, he took the club to court for the wages remaining in his contract.

Later career

After four months back at Rapid, Săpunaru signed a season-long deal at Pandurii Târgu Jiu on 6 September 2015, including a clause that he could leave instantly if a foreign club wanted him. The following 21 July, he put pen to paper to a two-year contract with fellow league side Astra Giurgiu.

On 1 July 2017, it was announced that Săpunaru signed a two-year deal with Turkish Süper Lig team Kayserispor. At its expiration, he joined Denizlispor in the same competition, before returning to his previous employer in January 2020 for the rest of the season. In August, he signed a new one-year deal.

Săpunaru signed for Rapid for the fourth time on 4 July 2021, joining on a two-year contract at the age of 37.

Retirement

On 19 May 2025, Săpunaru played his last professional match against CFR Cluj at the 2024–25 SuperLiga Play-off round.

International career

Săpunaru made his debut for the Romania national team 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. From June 2011 to November 2015, he did not appear in any games for his country due to a conflict with manager Victor Pițurcă.

On 17 May 2016, Săpunaru was picked by manager Anghel Iordănescu for his Euro 2016 squad. He started at right-back in the group stage opener, a 1–2 loss against the hosts France. In September 2019, after amassing 36 caps over the course of eleven years, 35-year-old Săpunaru announced his retirement from the national team.

Career statistics

Club

!colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |- |2002–03 |4||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||4||0 |- |2003–04 |1||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||3||0 |- |2004–05 |6||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||8||0 |- |2005–06 |23||3||5||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||28||3 |- !colspan="2"|Total !34!!3!!9!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!43!!3 |- |Callatis Mangalia (loan) |2003–04 |Divizia B |10||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||10||0 |- |2006–07 |19||1||3||0||6||0||1||0||29||1 |- |2007–08 |32||2||2||0||2||0||1||0||37||2 |- !colspan="2"|Total !51 !3 !5 !0 !8 !0 !2 !0 !66 !3 |- |2008–09 |17||0||6||1||8||0||1||0||32||1 |- |2009–10 |5||0||colspan="2"|—||4||0||colspan="2"|—||9||0 |- |2010–11 |19||0||7||0||13||0||2||0||41||0 |- |2011–12 |15||2||1||0||2||0||3||0||21||2 |- !colspan="2"|Total !56!!2!!14!!1!!27!!0!!6!!0!!103!!3 |- |Rapid București (loan) |2009–10 |Liga I |10||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||10||3 |- |Zaragoza |2012–13 |La Liga |29||2||6||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||35||2 |- |Elche |2013–14 |La Liga |8||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||9||1 |- |Rapid București |2014–15 |Liga I |13||4||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||13||4 |- |Pandurii Târgu Jiu |2015–16 |Liga I |22||5||2||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||24||6 |- |Astra Giurgiu |2016–17 |Liga I |32||8||5||1||12||1||colspan="2"|—||49||10 |- |2017–18 |28||0||5||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||33||0 |- |2018–19 |31||2||3||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||34||3 |- !colspan="2"|Total !59 !2 !8 !1 !colspan="2"|— !colspan="2"|— !67 !3 |- |Denizlispor |2019–20 |Süper Lig |14||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||15||0 |- |2019–20 |13||1||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||13||1 |- |2020–21 |25||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||25||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !38!!1!!0!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!38!!1 |- |2021–22 |36 |1 |1 |0 |37

International

References

1. (17 November 2019). "European Championship 2020: Booking List before Qualifying Round Matchday 10". UEFA.
2. [https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/01cf-0e6f780092f2-d680dc03f903-1000--rapid-s-sapunaru-plumps-for-porto/ Rapid's Săpunaru plumps for Porto]; UEFA, 14 July 2008
3. [http://www.sportm.ro/Fotbal-intern/liga-i/sapunaru-rapid-porto.html Ce transfer!!! Sapunaru la FC Porto pentru 6 milioane + 2 jucatori (We have a transfer!!! Sapunaru to FC Porto for 6 million + 2 players)] {{webarchive. link. (7 October 2011; Sport Magazin, 9 July 2008 (in Romanian))
4. (15 January 2009). "Do nevoeiro surgiu um golo de Fidalgo e a vitória do Nacional". [[Público (Portugal).
5. [http://www.romaniantimes.at/news/Sports/2010-02-01/6114/Sapunaru_to_return_on_loan_to_Rapid_Bucharest Sapunaru to return on loan to Rapid Bucharest] {{webarchive. link. (26 January 2011; ''The Romanian Times'', 1 February 2010)
6. (17 February 2014). "Futebolistas do FC Porto condenados no caso do túnel da Luz". [[Expresso (newspaper).
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8. (17 February 2014). "Túnel da Luz. Futebolistas condenados a indemnizar "stewards"". [[i (British newspaper).
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10. (16 September 2012). "La Real se aprovecha de un inocente Zaragoza". [[Marca (newspaper).
11. (28 May 2013). "Sapu cel galben » Săpunaru a rămas în istoria Primera Division: a depăşit recordul de cartonaşe galbene". [[Gazeta Sporturilor]].
12. (19 July 2013). "La dama no es de Elche". Marca.
13. (25 July 2013). "El defensa rumano Sapunaru ficha por el Elche". [[La Liga]].
14. (13 December 2013). "Late joy for Levante". [[Sky Sports]].
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17. (12 October 2015). "Sapunaru suspende el juicio y negociará su despido con el Elche". Diario Información.
18. (6 September 2015). "Cristi Săpunaru a semnat cu Pandurii! Clauză specială în contractul valabil un sezon". [[Digi Sport (Romania).
19. (21 July 2016). "Săpunaru – astrist cu acte!". FC Astra Giurgiu.
20. (1 July 2017). "Kayserispor, Sapunaru ile anlaştı". [[Fanatik (Turkey).
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22. (12 August 2020). "Kayserispor, Cristian Sapunaru ile yeniden anlaştı". Haber Takvimi.
23. (4 July 2021). "Rapid a anunțat transferul așteptat de toți fanii echipei! Prima reacție: "Sunt fericit că pot juca la clubul pe care îl iubesc"". Gazeta Sporturilor.
24. (19 May 2025). "Cristian Săpunaru, ovaționat în "Giulești" la ultimul meci jucat în tricoul Rapidului: elevii lui Marius Șumudică risipesc șansele pentru locurile europene, după ce nu etalează o prestație pe măsura celei afișate de CFR Cluj".
25. (7 March 2015). "Veste bună pentru Iordănescu. Un jucător tras pe linie moartă de Pițurcă e gata să revină la națională". Stiridesport.
26. (7 October 2015). "VIDEO EXCLUSIV A fost ignorat de Pițurcă, acum rupe tăcerea: "Dacă ne întâlnim, îl ocolesc, sau mă ocolește el"". Digi Sport.
27. (17 May 2016). "Romania Euro 2016 squad". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
28. (10 June 2016). "Dimitri Payet nets superb late winner for France vs. Romania". [[ESPN FC]].
29. (2 September 2019). "Cristian Săpunaru s-a retras de la echipa naţională a României!". Digi Sport.
30. {{Soccerway. cristian-ionut-sapunaru/11913
31. "Cristian Săpunaru".
32. (3 September 2021). "CEI MAI BUNI Rapid ia TOT! » Săpunaru a fost ales "Jucătorul lunii august", iar Mihai Iosif - "Antrenorul lunii"! Cum s-a votat". Gazeta Sporturilor.