Libor Sionko

Infobox Football biography
playername= Libor Sionko


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1977|2|1
cityofbirth = Ostrava
countryofbirth = Czechoslovakia
height = height|m=1.78
position = Midfielder
currentclub = F.C. Copenhagen
clubnumber = 24
contractend = 30 June 2009 [cite web |url=http://www.sjat.com/html/fck_kontrakter.htm |title=Kontraktlængder i FCK |publisher=SJAT.COM |last=Poulsen |first=Anders |accessdate=2008-01-31 |language=Danish ]
years = 1993-1994
1994-1996
1996-1997
1997-1999
1999-2004
2004
2004-2006
2006-2007
2007-present
clubs = Banik Ostrava
TŽ Třinec
VTJ Znojmo
Banik Ostrava
Sparta Prague
Grazer AK
Austria Vienna
Rangers
F.C. Copenhagen
caps(goals) = 01 (0)
12 (3)
00 (0)
45 (11)
95 (25)
6 (0)
63 (8)
18 (3)
33 (7)
nationalyears = 1999-present
nationalteam = Czech Republic
nationalcaps(goals) = 32 (7)
pcupdate = 6 October 2008
ntupdate = 16:17, 11 June 2008 (UTC)

Libor Sionko (born February 1 1977 in Ostrava) is a Czech footballer currently playing for Danish Superliga club F.C. Copenhagen.

Career

Club career

Early career

He previously played for Austria Vienna, Grazer AK, 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.

Rangers & Copenhagen

He completed a Bosman transfer to Rangers on 16 May 2006 on a three year contract.cite news |title=Sionko completes Rangers switch |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/4957738.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2006-05-16 |accessdate=2007-07-08]

He scored on his SPL debut against Motherwell on July 30, 2006 in the Gers' 2-1 win.cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/5223938.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |title=Motherwell 1-2 Rangers |date=2006-07-30 ] 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 Hiberniancite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/6218820.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |title=Rangers 3-0 Hibernian |date=2006-12-09] and Aberdeen,cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/6201951.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |title=Aberdeen 1-2 Rangers |date=2006-12-23] as Rangers' form improved after a poor start to the season.

On July 27 2007, it was announced Rangers have agreed a deal for the transfer of Sionko to the Danish champions F.C. Copenhagencite news |url=http://www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,5~1080009,00.html |publisher=Rangers F.C. |title=Sionko On His Way |date=2007-07-27] , and the next day he was presented in the club after signing a 2 year deal.cite news |url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid=565283.html |publisher=UEFA |title=København snap up Sionko |date=2007-07-29] .

On August 4 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 September 23 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 was he named man of match.

Following the Lyngby-match, Sionko told "fck.dk" that his family has settled down well in Copenhagen, unlike their stay in Glasgow, he further stated that he calls Copenhagen his second home. [cite web |url=http://fck.dk/index.php?pageid=754&newsid=7262 |title=Sionko: - Mit andet hjem |publisher=F.C. Copenhagen |date=2007-09-29 |accessdate=2007-09-30 |language=Danish ]

International career

Sionko has been capped more than thirty times by the Czech Republic national team, and has scored 7 goals. He had been only a substitute for a long time, because his position of right winger was occupied by Karel Poborský.

2006 World Cup

He was called up to the Czech team 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 June 17 2006. Ghana won the game 2-0.

Euro 2008

On June 11, Sionko scored for the Czech Republic in their second game of Euro 2008, a 1-3 defeat to Portugal 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.

International goals

:"Table incomplete:"

References

External links

* [http://fck.dk/truppen/spillerprofil/?playerid=199 F.C. Copenhagen profile]
*
* [http://www.fotbal.cz/c/nat/players/viewstat.asp?name=SionkoLibor Profile on the website of The Football Association of the Czech Republic]

Navboxes
title= Libor Sionko - Navigation boxes and awards
list1=

Persondata
NAME= Sionko, Libor
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= footballer
DATE OF BIRTH= 1977-2-1
PLACE OF BIRTH= Ostrava, Czechoslovakia
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=