László Sepsi Explained

László Sepsi
Birth Date:7 June 1987
Birth Place:Luduș, Romania
Height:1.79m
Position:Left back
Years1:2004–2005
Caps1:24
Goals1:1
Years2:2005–2006
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Years3:2006–2007
Caps3:45
Goals3:0
Years4:2008–2010
Caps4:7
Goals4:0
Years5:2008–2009
Clubs5:Racing Santander (loan)
Caps5:24
Goals5:0
Years6:2010–2011
Caps6:56
Goals6:1
Years7:2012
Caps7:14
Goals7:0
Years8:2012–2014
Caps8:23
Goals8:0
Years9:2014
Clubs9:Târgu Mureș (loan)
Caps9:15
Goals9:0
Years10:2014–2015
Caps10:30
Goals10:0
Years11:2015–2018
Caps11:47
Goals11:0
Years12:2018–2019
Caps12:24
Goals12:0
Totalcaps:309
Totalgoals:2
Nationalyears1:2005–2008
Nationalcaps1:13
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2008–2015
Nationalcaps2:4
Nationalgoals2:0
Club-Update:1 June 2019
Nationalteam-Update:13 June 2015

László Sepsi (in Hungarian pronounced as /ˈlaːsloː ˈʃɛpʃi/; born 7 June 1987) is a Romanian former professional footballer who played as a left back.

Club career

Early career

Born in Luduș of Hungarian descent,[1] Sepsi made his professional debut with CS Gaz Metan Mediaș, making 24 Liga I appearances and scoring one goal. In 2005 he moved abroad, signing for Stade Rennais F.C. and being brought to the French club by compatriot László Bölöni, the team's manager.

Sepsi did not feature in any Ligue 1 matches in the 2005–06 season, only being fielded in a couple of games for the Coupe de France.[2] Following the departure of Bölöni in the summer of 2006, he returned to Romania, joining ACF Gloria 1922 Bistrița where he impressed overall, helping them to a final sixth position in the top division and qualification to the UEFA Intertoto Cup; he was also team captain.

Benfica

On 12 January 2008, Sepsi signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with S.L. Benfica from the Portuguese Primeira Liga for an undisclosed fee (newspapers reported that it could have been something between €1.8 and 2.5 million). In August, he was loaned to La Liga club Racing de Santander in a season-long move.[3] He made his competitive debut with the latter on 31 August 2008, in a 1–1 home match against Sevilla FC,[4] [5] and contributed with 19 games – 14 starts – as the Cantabrians finished in 12th position, thus retaining their division status.

Deemed surplus to requirements by new Benfica boss Jorge Jesus, Sepsi was again loaned to Racing Santander for 2009–10.[6] He appeared very rarely in his second spell, however.[7]

Politehnica Timișoara

On 4 January 2010, Sepsi joined FC Politehnica Timișoara for a fee believed to be €1.2 million on a five-year deal.[8] The club's president, Marian Iancu, revealed that the whole deal was worth €2.3 million, which included both the transfer fee value and the player's wages.[9]

Sepsi made his debut against former team Gloria Bistrița, in a 0–0 away draw on 20 January 2010.

Târgu Mureș / CFR Cluj

In January 2012, Sepsi was declared a free agent by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.[10] The following month, he signed for fellow league side FCM Târgu Mureș.[11]

In May 2012, after his contract expired, Sepsi moved to CFR Cluj for three seasons.[12] In the 2014 winter transfer window he returned to Târgu Mureș, with the club now renamed ASA.

FC Nürnberg

In the summer of 2015, after extensive negotiations,[13] Sepsi signed with 1. FC Nürnberg from Germany.[14] He played 26 2. Bundesliga matches in his first season, also starting in both legs of the promotion/relegation play-offs that were lost 2–1 on aggregate to Eintracht Frankfurt.[15] [16]

In the 2016–17 campaign, Sepsi was sidelined for several weeks with an ankle injury.[17] [18] In June 2018, the club decided not to renew his expiring contract.[19]

Universitatea Cluj

On 28 August 2018, aged 31, Sepsi returned to his homeland and joined FC Universitatea Cluj.[20]

International career

László Sepsi made his full debut for Romania on 26 March 2008 when coach Victor Pițurcă sent him on the field in the 87th minute of a 3–0 victory in a friendly against Russia played on the Ghencea stadium from Bucharest.[21] [22] His following two games were also friendlies, a 2–0 loss against Israel and a 3–0 victory against Honduras.[21] Sepsi's last game for the national team was a 0–0 against Northern Ireland at the Euro 2016 qualifiers.[21] [23]

Career statistics

Club

[24] [25] [26] [27] [28]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gaz Metan2004–05241200000261
Total241200000261
Rennes2005–060020100030
Total0020100030
Gloria Bistriţa2006–07260000000260
2007–08190106000260
Total450106000520
Benfica2007–0870003000100
Total70003000100
Racing Santander2008–09190304000260
2009–105020000070
Total240504000330
Politehnica Timișoara2009–10170000000170
2010–11280203000330
2011–12111300000141
Total561503000641
FCM Târgu Mureș2011–12140000000140
Total140000000140
CFR Cluj2012–13180306000270
2013–145010000060
Total230406000330
ASA Târgu Mureș2013–14150000000150
2014–15300200000320
Total450200000470
Nürnberg2015–16260200020300
2016–17180200000200
2017–183000000030
Total470400020530
Universitatea Cluj2018–19240200000260
Total240200000260
Career total3092270230203612

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ungaria ne urmăreşte talentele! Ţinta lor, starul naţionalei U19, dorit de Juventus! Ce alţi jucători importanţi au fost în atenţia maghiarilor. Hungary is watching our talents! Their target, under-19 national team star, wanted by Juventus! What other important players were by scouted by the Hungarians. ProSport. Romanian. 30 June 2011. 30 September 2013.
  2. Web site: László Sepsi. Stade Rennais Online. French. 28 August 2007.
  3. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/newsid=738466.html Racing roared on by Sepsi signing
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20090727191536/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/match?id=252981&cc=5901 Racing Santander 1 – Sevilla FC 1
  5. News: Frío arranque para Racing y Sevilla. Cold start for Racing and Sevilla. El Mundo. Spanish. 31 August 2008. 3 May 2016.
  6. Web site: Sepsi vuelve cedido al Racing. Sepsi returns to Racing on loan. UEFA. Spanish. 31 July 2009. 3 May 2016.
  7. News: Sepsi regresa al Benfica tras renunciar el Racing a su cesión. Sepsi returns to Benfica after Racing decides against his loan. Diario AS. Spanish. 4 January 2010. 3 May 2016.
  8. Web site: Benfica vendeu o passe de Sepsi ao Timișoara. Benfica sold Sepsi's rights to Timișoara. Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. Portuguese. 5 January 2010. 27 July 2011.
  9. Web site: Benfica vende Sepsi ao F.C. Timișoara. Benfica sell Sepsi to F.C. Timișoara. TIM. Portuguese. 5 January 2010. 27 July 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120328061509/http://www.tim.co.mz/Noticias/Desporto/Benfica-vende-Sepsi-ao-F.C.-Timisoara. 28 March 2012. dmy-all.
  10. Web site: Poli l-a pierdut pe Laszlo Sepsi! TAS l-a declarat pe fotbalist liber de contract. Poli lost Laszlo Sepsi case! CAS declared player free from contract. Stirile Pro TV. Romanian. 27 January 2012. 23 February 2012.
  11. Web site: Sepsi şi Ljubojevic, jucătorii FCM-ului. Sepsi and Ljubojevic, FCM players. FCM Târgu Mures. Romanian. 21 February 2012. 23 February 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120229192027/http://www.fcm-tirgumures.ro/detalii_stire.asp?id=466. 29 February 2012.
  12. Web site: Laszlo Sepsi a semnat cu CFR 1907 Cluj!. Laszlo Sepsi signed with CFR 1907 Cluj!. CFR Cluj. Romanian. 1 June 2012. 1 June 2012. dead. https://archive.today/20120722064058/http://www.cfr1907.ro/ro/stiri/2468/laszlo-sepsi-a-semnat-cu-cfr-1907-cluj/. 22 July 2012. dmy-all.
  13. Web site: 1. FC Nürnberg: Transfertheater um Laszlo Sepsi. 1. FC Nürnberg: Laszlo Sepsi transfer saga. Nord Bayern. German. 16 June 2015. 15 September 2018.
  14. Web site: 1. FC Nürnberg verpflichtet Verteidiger Brecko. 1. FC Nürnberg acquire defender Brecko. Focus. German. 30 July 2015. 15 September 2018.
  15. Web site: Gacinovic kontert Russ per Flachschuss. Gacinovic counters Russ through a low shot. kicker. German. 19 May 2016. 15 September 2018.
  16. Web site: Seferovic hält Frankfurt in der Bundesliga. Seferovic keeps Frankfurt in the Bundesliga. kicker. German. 23 May 2016. 15 September 2018.
  17. Web site: 1. FC Nürnberg mehrere Wochen ohne Verteidiger Sepsi. 1. FC Nürnberg several weeks without defender Sepsi. T-Online. German. 15 February 2017. 15 September 2018.
  18. Web site: Linksverteidiger Sepsi bereitet Sorgen. Left-back Sepsi a cause for concern. kicker. German. 28 June 2017. 15 September 2018.
  19. Web site: FCN: Sepsi vor Rückkehr nach Rumänien. FCN: Sepsi back to Romania. 90 Min. Kaufmann. Matti. German. 13 June 2018. 15 September 2018.
  20. Web site: Bine ai venit la "U", Laszlo Sepsi!. Welcome to "U", Laszlo Sepsi!. Universitatea Cluj. Romanian. 28 August 2018. 28 August 2018.
  21. Web site: László Sepsi. European Football. 8 June 2021.
  22. Web site: Romania 3-0 Russia. European Football. 8 June 2021.
  23. Web site: Northern Ireland 0-0 Romania. European Football. 8 June 2021.
  24. Web site: L. Sepsi. Soccerway. 9 September 2015.
  25. Web site: László Sepsi – Club matches. Worldfootball. 13 February 2018.
  26. Web site: Sixteen finals. Romanian Soccer. 23 June 2019.
  27. Web site: Dinamo București – Gaz Metan Mediaș • eight finals. Romanian Soccer. 23 June 2019.
  28. Web site: FC Brașov – Gloria Bistrița • 1/16 finals. Romanian Soccer. 23 June 2019.