Cristian Valentin Muscalu

Cristian Muscalu

Personal information
Full name	Cristian Valentin Muscalu
Date of birth	3 October 1989 (1989-10-03) (age 22)
Place of birth	Bucharest, Romania
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Left winger / Midfielder
Youth career
1995–2003	Steaua Bucureşti
2004–2005	Şcoala de Fotbal Gică Popescu
2005–2006	CSŞ Nucet
2006–2007	1. FC Köln
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2007	Jiul Petroşani	0	(0)
2008	Sint-Truidense	1	(0)
2009	Slavija Sarajevo	9	(0)
2009–2010	FK Baku	2	(0)
2010	→ Chernomorets Burgas (loan)	8	(0)
2010	Tur Turek	2	(0)
2011	Borac Čačak	0	(0)
2011–	Ceahlăul Piatra Neamţ	1	(0)
National team‡
2008	Romania U-19	4	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 January 2011

Cristian Valentin Muscalu (born 3 October 1989) is a Romanian professional football midfielder, who currently plays for Liga I side Ceahlăul Piatra Neamţ. He became a globetrotter at a young age.

Club career

Muscalu started his youth career at Steaua spending 8 years, before separating from the club, he joined Gică Popescu's football academy playing there for a year, as well for CSŞ Nucet.^[1] During 2006 he got noticed by youth coach Marcel Răducanu who sees him linked with a move to 1. FC Köln.^[1] During his early career, Muscalu was for a few weeks on trial at Osasuna, Hertha Berlin and TSV 1860 Munich.^[2][3][4]

Muscalu made his official debut for Sint-Truidense on 12 April 2008 in the Belgian Pro League in a 2–0 loss to Westerlo. However, a year later he was transferred to Bosnia and Herzegovina's FK Slavija to gain more experience, where he won a national cup. In 13 July 2009, he signed for FK Baku in Azerbaijan. After not having many chances, he played the last six months of that season loaned to Chernomorets Burgas playing in the Bulgarian First League. After summer 2010, Muscalu had a short spell with Polish second league club Tur Turek which lasted until October.^[5] Before joining with Turek, he was also on trial with Lech Poznań^[6] and Croatian club Istra 1961.^[7]

In early 2011, he joined on a free transfer Serbian side FK Borac Čačak, but didn't play any game.^[8] In the summer of 2011, he was close to sign for Swiss club SC Kriens however, the contract did not materialize.^[9] On July, Muscalu returned to his home country to play in Liga 1 with newly promoted team Ceahlăul Piatra Neamţ.^[10]

He was regarded as a good talent of Romania, but he was affected by numerous injuries.^[1]

International career

Muscalu was a member of the Romanian under-19 national team.

Honours

• Slavija Sarajevo
  • 1 time Bosnian Cup winner: 2009

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "La 20 de ani a jucat în cinci campionate diferite! Muscalu, globetrotterul fotbalului românesc" (in Romanian). asport.ro. http://asport.ro/international,stranieri,la-20-de-ani-a-jucat-in-cinci-campionate-diferite-muscalu-globetrotterul-fotbalului-romanesc,116776. Retrieved 5 May 2010. 
2. ^ "Muscalu, "engañado " por su representante" (in Spanish). diariodenavarra.es. http://www.diariodenavarra.es/20080110/deportes/muscalu-enganado-representante.html?not=2008011002415817&dia=20080110&seccion=deportes&seccion2=osasunaFutbol. Retrieved 10 January 2008. 
3. ^ "Kommt Muscalu zu Hertha?" (in German). bz-berlin.de. http://www.bz-berlin.de/sport/hertha-bsc/kommt-muscalu-zu-hertha-article450143.html. Retrieved 7 May 2009. 
4. ^ "Neuer Rumäne für Lienen?" (in German). fussball-vorort.de. http://www.fussball-vorort.de/sport/tsv-1860/meta-neuer-rumaene-loewen-588635.html. Retrieved 12 January 2010. 
5. ^ "Muscalu nie jest już piłkarzem Tur Turek" (in Polish). mksturturek.pl. http://www.mksturturek.pl/index.php?function=show_all&no=1663. Retrieved 12 October 2010. 
6. ^ "Cristian Muscalu na testach w Lechu" (in Polish). sports.pl. http://www.sports.pl/Pilka-nozna/Cristian-Muscalu-na-testach-w-Lechu,artykul,82529,1,3.html. Retrieved 28 July 2010. 
7. ^ "Cristian Muscalu na probi u Istri 1961" (in Croatian). nkistra1961.hr. http://nkistra1961.hr/index.php/site/more/valentin-muscalu-na-probi-u-istri-1961/. Retrieved 25 August 2010. 
8. ^ "Cristian Muscalu odchodzi do FK Borac" (in Polish). 90minut.pl. http://www.90minut.pl/news/145/news1452183-Cristian-Muscalu-odchodzi-do-FK-Borac.html. Retrieved 20 January 2011. 
9. ^ "News Sportclub Kriens" (in German). sck.ch. http://www.sck.ch/reloaded/index.php?limitstart=8. Retrieved 13 July 2011. 
10. ^ "De la Tur Turek, la Ceahlăul" (in Romanian). digisport.ro. http://www.digisport.ro/de-la-tur-turek-la-cehlaul/. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 

External sources

• Profile at Transfermarkt.
• Cristian Valentin Muscalu at 90minut.pl (Polish)

Persondata
Name	Muscalu, Cristian Valentin
Alternative names
Short description	footballer
Date of birth	3 October 1989
Place of birth	Bucharest, Romania
Date of death
Place of death