Vitinha (footballer, born 1986)

Vítor Tiago de Freitas Fernandes (born 11 February 1986), commonly known as Vitinha, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a left back for Romanian club Metalurgistul Cugir.

Vitinha
Vitinha before a game with Ludogorets in 2015
Personal information
Full name Vítor Tiago de Freitas Fernandes
Date of birth (1986-02-11) 11 February 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth São Torcato, Portugal
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Left back
Team information
Current team
Metalurgistul Cugir
Number 7
Youth career
1997–2005 Vitória Guimarães
2001–2002Amigos Urgeses (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Torcatense 24 (1)
2006 Maria Fonte 12 (0)
2007–2011 CFR Cluj 2 (0)
2008–2009Otopeni (loan) 27 (2)
2009–2010Unirea Alba Iulia (loan) 13 (0)
2010–2011Otopeni (loan) 12 (0)
2011 Concordia Chiajna 14 (1)
2012–2017 Ludogorets Razgrad 42 (0)
2015–2017 Ludogorets II 10 (1)
2017–2018 Cherno More 1 (0)
2018 Unirea Alba Iulia 9 (0)
2019– Metalurgistul Cugir 95 (7)
International career
2002 Portugal U17 1 (0)
2006 Portugal U20 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:41, 13 January 2024 (UTC)

He spent his entire professional career in Romania and Bulgaria, mainly at the service of Ludogorets in the latter case.

Club career

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Born in São Torcato, Guimarães, Vitinha only played lower league football in his homeland. In January 2007 he signed with Romanian club CFR Cluj, and in the ensuing summer he started a series of loans in the latter country, representing in quick succession CS Otopeni (two spells), FC Unirea Alba Iulia and CS Concordia Chiajna; he appeared for all the teams in Liga I, scoring two goals in a combined 44 matches.[2][3][4]

In the 2012 winter transfer window, Vitinha joined PFC Ludogorets Razgrad in the First Professional Football League (Bulgaria). He made his competitive debut on 3 March, coming on as a late substitute in a 3–0 home win against PFC Beroe Stara Zagora.[5]

Vitinha was second-choice left-back as the Eagles won five consecutive national championships starting in 2012, mainly being understudy to veteran Yordan Minev.[6] His maiden appearance in the UEFA Champions League took place on 6 August 2013, as he played five minutes in a 1–0 away win over FK Partizan for the third qualifying round.[7]

On 16 June 2017, Vitinha signed with PFC Cherno More Varna also in the Bulgarian top division.[8] He made his debut on 11 August in a 1–1 home draw against PFC Slavia Sofia,[9] suffering an achilles tendon rupture in the beginning of the second half and going on to be sidelined for several months.[10]

Vitinha returned to Romania subsequently, where he represented Unirea and CF Metalurgistul Cugir.[11]

Club statistics

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As of 28 May 2018[12]
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Torcatense 2005–06[13] Second Division 21 1 21 1
Maria Fonte 2006–07[13] 12 0 2 0 14 0
CFR Cluj 2006–07[13] Liga I 2 0 2 0
2007–08[13] 0 0 0 0
Total 2 0 2 0
Otopeni (loan) 2007–08[13] Liga II 12 1 12 1
2008–09[13] Liga I 14 1 14 1
Total 26 2 26 2
Unirea Alba (loan) 2009–10[13] Liga I 14 0 14 0
Otopeni (loan) 2010–11[13] Liga II 12 0 12 0
Concordia 2011–12[14] Liga I 14 1 0 0 14 1
Ludogorets 2011–12[14] A Group 10 0 1 0 11 0
2012–13[14] 4 0 0 0 4 0
2013–14[14] 9 0 5 0 2[a] 0 16 0
2014–15[14] 3 0 2 0 1[a] 0 6 0
2015–16[14] 12 0 1 0 0[a] 0 13 0
2016–17[14] First League 4 0 1 0 1[a] 0 6 0
Total 42 0 10 0 4 0 56 0
Cherno More 2017–18[14] First League 1 0 0 0 1 0
Total 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Career total 144 4 12 0 4 0 160 4
  1. ^ a b c d Appearances in UEFA Champions League

Honours

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Ludogorets[14]

CSO Cugir

References

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  1. ^ "Състав 2017/2018" [2017/18 squad] (in Bulgarian). PFC Cherno More. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  2. ^ "Liga 1 – Etapa 32: CS Otopeni – Poli Iasi 4–1" [Liga 1 – Round 32: CS Otopeni – Poli Iasi 4–1] (in Romanian). Romanian Soccer. 23 May 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  3. ^ "FC Braşov a ajuns ciuca bătăilor în Liga I. Chiajna a câştigat cu 2–1 (0–1)" [FC Braşov get beaten by everyone in Liga I. Chiajna won 2–1 (0–1)] (in Romanian). News BV. 24 September 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  4. ^ "VIDEO: Vitinha, fostul component al Unirii s-a căsătorit la Alba Iulia. Vezi cine e aleasa inimii fotbalistului portughez" [VIDEO: Vitinha, former Unirea member got married in Alba Iulia. See who is the Portuguese footballer's chosen one] (in Romanian). Ziarul Unirea. 27 May 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  5. ^ "Лудогорец срази Берое и дръпна с 3 точки на ЦСКА" [Ludogorets defeated Beroe and have three-point lead over CSKA] (in Bulgarian). Blitz. 3 March 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  6. ^ "Португалски бек остава в "Лудогорец". "Имам договор с клуба до 2016 г.", заяви Витиня" [Portuguese left-back to stay at Ludogorets. "I am under contract with the club until 2016", stated Vitinha] (in Bulgarian). Gol. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  7. ^ "Zlatinski sinks Partizan to seal Ludogorets passage". UEFA. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  8. ^ "Витиня подписа с Черно море" [Vitinha signed with Cherno More] (in Bulgarian). PFC Cherno More. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Славия не се даде на Гонзо на "Тича"" (in Bulgarian). Sportal. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  10. ^ "Черно море започна подготовка за Ботев" [Cherno More started preparations for Botev] (in Bulgarian). PFC Cherno More. 13 August 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  11. ^ "Metalurgistul Cugir – modificări în efectiv și speranțe într-un retur mai bun | Sâmbătă, primul amical, acasă, cu Sportul Petrești" [Metalurgistul Cugir – squad changes in hopes of a better return | Saturday, first friendly, at home, with Sportul Petrești] (in Romanian). Ziarul Unirea. 24 January 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  12. ^ Vitinha at WorldFootball.net
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h "Vitinha". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Vitinha". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
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