Valentin Țicu

Valentin Constantin Țicu (Romanian pronunciation: [valenˈtin konstanˈtin ˈt͡siku]; born 19 September 2000) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Liga I club Petrolul Ploiești, which he captains.

Valentin Țicu
Țicu with Petrolul Ploiești in 2023
Personal information
Full name Valentin Constantin Țicu
Date of birth (2000-09-19) 19 September 2000
Place of birth Ploiești, Romania
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Petrolul Ploiești
Number 5
Youth career
0000–2018 Petrolul Ploiești
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018– Petrolul Ploiești 137 (6)
International career‡
2018 Romania U19 2 (0)
2021–2023 Romania U21 11 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 September 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 June 2023

Club career

Țicu is a youth product of Petrolul Ploiești, and made his senior debut for the club in a Liga III game against Flacăra Moreni on 30 March 2018.[1] On 28 September that year, he registered his first Liga II appearance by playing the full 90 minutes in a 5–0 thrashing of Aerostar Bacău.

Țicu scored his first goal on 13 October 2019, in a 3–0 league win over Daco-Getica București. In the 2021–22 campaign, he gained team captaincy[1] and aided with 26 appearances and three goals as "the Yellow-Blues" won the Liga II championship.

Țicu made his debut in the top tier by starting in a 0–1 home loss to Voluntari, on 18 July 2022.[2] On 31 March 2023, he scored his first Liga I goal—and the only of the match—in an away victory over FC U Craiova.[3] He was an undisputed starter during the 2022–23 season, totalling 38 league matches.

On 13 September 2023, Petrolul Ploiești announced that Țicu signed a contract extension lasting until 2026.[1] Eleven days later, he committed a foul which left Hermannstadt player Dragoș Iancu with an ankle fracture and was handed a 16-match suspension.[4]

International career

On 15 June 2023, Țicu was selected by manager Emil Săndoi in the Romania under-21 squad for the 2023 UEFA European Championship.[5] Two days later, as a result of several injuries within the senior team squad, he was called up for a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier against Switzerland,[6] but did not make his debut.

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 24 September 2023[7]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Petrolul Ploiești 2018–19 Liga II 150———150
2019–20 Liga II 25130——281
2020–21 Liga II 23121——252
2021–22 Liga II 26300——263
2022–23 Liga I 38120——401
2023–24 Liga I 10000——100
Career total 137671——1447

Honours

Petrolul Ploiești[7]

References
  1. "Vali Ticu, încă trei ani alături de FC Petrolul!" [Vali Țicu, three more years with FC Petrolul!] (in Romanian). FC Petrolul Ploiești. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  2. "Petrolul Ploiești - FC Voluntari 0-1. Ploieștenii pierd în primul meci de la revenirea în Liga 1" [Petrolul Ploiești - FC Voluntari 0–1. Ploieștenii lose the first match since their Liga 1 return] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 18 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  3. "FCU Craiova - Petrolul 0-1. Meci fără prea mult spectacol salvat însă de golul lui Ţicu" [FCU Craiova - Petrolul 0-1. A match without much show saved by Țicu's goal] (in Romanian). Prima Sport. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  4. "Suspendare-RECORD! Valentin Țicu și-a aflat pedeapsa după ce l-a băgat în spital pe Dragoș Iancu: revine în 2024! Prima reacție" [RECORD-suspension! Valentin Țicu found out his punishment after putting Dragoș Iancu in the hospital: he will return in 2024! First reaction]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 18 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  5. "U21 la EURO 2023 | VIDEO: Ei sunt ROMÂNIA U21 pentru Campionatul European!" [U21 at EURO 2023 | VIDEO: They are ROMANIA U21 for the European Championship!] (in Romanian). Romanian Football Federation. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  6. "Convocare de ultim moment la naționala României! Fotbalistul chemat de urgență de Edi Iordănescu" [Last minute call-up to the Romanian national team! The footballer urgently called up by Edi Iordănescu]. Digi Sport. 17 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  7. Valentin Țicu at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
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