Alexandru Băluță

Alexandru Mihail Băluță (Romanian pronunciation: [alekˈsandru mihaˈil bəˈlutsə]; born 13 September 1993) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a forward for Hungarian club Puskás Akadémia.

Alexandru Băluță
Băluță with Slavia Prague in 2018
Personal information
Full name Alexandru Mihail Băluță
Date of birth (1993-09-13) 13 September 1993
Place of birth Craiova, Romania
Height 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Position(s)
Attacking midfielder / Forward
Club information
Current team
 Puskás Akadémia
Number 10
Youth career
Școala de Fotbal Gică Popescu
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2013 Chindia Târgoviște 44 (14)
2013–2014 Viitorul Constanța 25 (3)
2014–2018 Universitatea Craiova 123 (21)
2018–2020 Slavia Prague 23 (3)
2019–2020 → Slovan Liberec (loan) 21 (4)
2020– Puskás Akadémia 12 (2)
National team‡
2010–2011 Romania U17 6 (3)
2013 Romania U21 1 (0)
2017– Romania 7 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 December 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 5 December 2020

Club career

Early years

Băluță started his senior career at AFC Chindia Târgoviște in 2011, making 44 appearances and scoring fourteen goals in the second division over the course of two seasons. In 2013, he signed with Viitorul Constanța,[2] for which he played his first Liga I game against Dinamo București on 5 August.[3]

Universitatea Craiova
Băluță playing against Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2016.

Băluță moved to CS Universitatea Craiova for €200,000 in the summer of 2014.[4] He made his competitive debut for the Alb-albaștrii in a Cupa Ligii match with Rapid București on 16 July, featuring the full 90 minutes in the 0–1 away loss.[5] Băluță scored his first goal in a Cupa României 2–1 extra time victory over his former club Viitorul, on 29 October 2014.[6]

In the summer of 2017, Băluță changed his squad number from 22 to 10,[7] previously worn by Gustavo Vagenin who also switched to number 7. In August that year, Craiova refused to negotiate with FC Steaua București for the transfer of the player.[8]

On 19 April 2018, Băluță netted the first hat-trick of his professional career, contributing to a 5–1 home success against FC Botoșani for the season's Cupa României.[9] In the final on 27 May, he offered an assist to Alexandru Mitriță as Universitatea Craiova won 2–0 against Hermannstadt.[10]

Slavia Prague

On 22 June 2018, Băluță signed a four-year contract with Czech team Slavia Prague, being assigned the number 20 shirt.[11] Press reported the transfer fee at €3 million.[12][13]

Puskás Akadémia

On 31 July 2020, Băluță signed a three-year contract with Hungarian team Puskás Akadémia.[14]

International career

Băluță made his senior international debut for Romania on 13 June 2017, coming on as a 66th-minute substitute for Bogdan Stancu and managing to score the winner in a 3–2 victory over Chile.[15]

Style of play

Typically an attacking midfielder or a winger, Băluță is also capable of playing in a more offensive role, being deployed by coach Devis Mangia as a false 9 in the 3–4–3 formation during his last season at Universitatea Craiova.[16][17]

Personal life

His father, Dumitru, was also a footballer and played in Romania for Pandurii Târgu Jiu, Argeș Pitești, Jiul Petroșani and in Hungary for Kecskeméti TE.[18][19]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 25 August 2019[20]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chindia Târgoviște 2011–12 Liga II 22700———227
2012–13 22700———227
Total 441400———4414
Viitorul Constanța 2013–14 Liga I 24330———273
Total 24330———273
Universitatea Craiova 2014–15 Liga I 3023110——343
2015–16 3341000——344
2016–17 3143010——354
2017–18 301166—20—3717
Total 124211372020—14128
Slavia Prague 2018–19 Fortuna Liga 22341—60—324
2019–20 1000—00—10
Total 23341—60—334
Slovan Liberec 2019–20 Fortuna Liga 21 4 3 1 — — — 24 5
Total 21 4 3 1 — — — 24 5
Puskás Akadémia 2020–21 NB I 12 2 1 2 — 0 0 — 13 4
Total 12 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 4
Career total 24847241120800 028258

International
As of 5 June 2018[21]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Romania
201751
2020 2 0
Total71

International goals
As of 13 June 2017 (Romania score listed first, score column indicates score after each Băluță goal)[21]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 13 June 2017Cluj Arena, Cluj-Napoca, Romania1 Chile3–23–2Friendly

Honours

Club

Universitatea Craiova

Slavia Prague

Individual

References
  1. "Alexandru Mihail Băluță" (in Romanian). CS Universitatea Craiova. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  2. "Baluta si Serban au fost transfertati la Viitorul Constanta" [Băluță and Șerban were transferred to Viitorul Constanța] (in Romanian). Târgoviște pe Net. Archived from the original on 1 September 2013.
  3. "Viitorul vs. Dinamo Bucureşti – 5 August 2013". Soccerway. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  4. "Hagi a dezvăluit cum au ajuns Băluță și Mitriță la Craiova. Detalii din culisele discuțiilor cu patronul Rotaru" [Hagi revealed how Băluță and Mitriță signed for Craiova. Details behind the discussion with owner Rotaru] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  5. "Rapid a învins CSU Craiova, scor 1–0, și s-a calificat în optimile Cupei Ligii" [Rapid defeated CSU Craiova, score 1–0, and qualified for the Cupa Ligii round of 16]. România Liberă (in Romanian). 16 July 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  6. "CS U Craiova-Viitorul Constanța 2–1 / CS U Craiova – în premieră în "sferturile" Cupei" [CS U Craiova-Viitorul Constanța 2–1 / CS U Craiova – for the first time in the quarter-finals of the cup] (in Romanian). Televiziunea Română. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  7. "#AB10. Baluta i-a dat gol Stelei si s-a bucurat CA RONALDO. Gestul facut in fata suporterilor ros-albastri" [#AB10. Băluță scored against Steaua and celebrated like RONALDO. The gesture made in front of the supporters of "the Red-Blues"] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 30 July 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  8. "Ştiinţa refuză oferta de 2,5 milioane de euro făcută de Gigi Becali pentru Băluţă" [Știința turns down the 2.5 million euros offer made by Gigi Becali for Băluță] (in Romanian). Lupamea.ro. 10 August 2017.
  9. "Primul hat-trick din carieră pentru revenirea perfectă! Seară magică a lui Băluță, după ce Mangia l-a iertat" [The first hat-trick of his career for a perfect return! Magic evening for Băluță, after Mangia forgave him] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  10. "Toată lumea știe, Cupa-i în Bănie!" [Everyone knows, the Cup is in Bănie!] (in Romanian). CS Universitatea Craiova. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  11. "Slavii posílí hvězda rumunské ligy" (in Czech). Slavia Prague. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  12. "Transfer soc pentru Baluta! Craiova l-a vandut "pe ascuns", romanul a fost deja prezentat" [Shock transfer for Băluță! Craiova sold him "in secret", the Romanian has already been presented] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  13. "Alexandru Băluţă, transfer record la Slavia Praga! "10 zile de negocieri intense"" [Alexandru Băluță, record transfer to Slavia Prague! "10 days of intense negotiations"] (in Romanian). Fanatik.ro. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  14. "Baluta opouští Slavii, jde do Maďarska. Bude hrát za Puskás Akadémia" (in Czech). CNC. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  15. "Băluță, care a purtat 13 pe tricou, a debutat cu gol la națională pe 13 iunie. "13 e și ziua mea de naștere!"" [Băluță, who wore the number 13 jersey, scored on his national team debut on 13 June. "My birthday is also on the 13th!"] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  16. "Băluță și Mateiu fac parte din "Echipa sezonului", în viziunea Betano" [Băluță and Mateiu are in the "Team of the Year", according to Betano] (in Romanian). CS Universitatea Craiova. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  17. "Băluţă a impresionat deja la Slavia Praga. "Are calităţi minunate!"" [Băluță already impressed at Slavia Prague. "He has wonderful qualities!"] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  18. "Mertens din Banie! Baluta vrea atmosfera la Craiova ca pe Stadio San Paolo din Napoli" [Mertens from Banie! Baluta wants the atmosphere in Craiova to be as the one at Stadio San Paolo in Naples] (in Romanian). sport.ro. 15 April 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  19. "Familia sport – De la fondare, Hagi a adus la gruparea constănțeană o mulțime de fotbaliști ai căror tați, unchi sau rude apropiate au fost sportivi de performanță" [The sport family "Since founding, Hagi brought to the team from Constanta a lot of footballers whose fathers, uncles or close relatives were performance athletes] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 30 July 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  20. Alexandru Băluță at Soccerway
  21. "Alexandru Băluță". European Football. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  22. "Fotbalistul lunii – Iulie 2017" [Player of the Month – July 2017] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. August 2017. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
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