Tomi Petrescu

Tomi Petrescu
Personal information
Date of birth	24 June 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth	Jyväskylä, Finland
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Winger / Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	Jyväskylä Blackbird
Number	10
Youth career
1995–2001	JJK
2001–2004	Leicester City
Senior career*
Years	Team
2003–2005	Leicester City
2005–2006	Inter Turku
2007–2010	Tampere United
2009	→ Ascoli
2011	Panthrakikos
2011–2012	FC Honka
2013	FC Haka
2013	Politehnica Iași
2014–2016	Ilves
2016–2018	JJK
2019–	Jyväskylä Blackbird
International career‡
2001–2003	Finland U-17
2004–2008	Finland U-21
Medal record
Tampere United
Honka
Ilves
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 November 2021; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 March 2014

Tomi Petrescu (born 24 June 1986), is a Finnish professional football winger and attacking midfielder who plays for Finnish club Jyväskylä Blackbird and has represented Finland national under-21 football team. Petrescu was born in Jyväskylä, Finland where he played for the local JJK youth team before moving to Leicester City F.C.

Club career

Early career

Petrescu's career began in the junior organisation of JJK Jyväskylä. In 2001, he moved to Leicester's youth academy. In Leicester he represented the academy team and the reserves. He made one appearance in the first team on 4 May 2003 in a match against Wolverhampton Wanderers. When he failed to make a break through he terminated his contract in the end of 2004.

Inter Turku

For season 2005 Petrescu joined Veikkausliiga team Inter Turku.^[1] where he quickly established his place in the midfield and scored seven goals during the season. During season 2006 he gained 20 caps and scored three goals.

Tampere United

In December 2006 Petrescu signed a two-year contract with Tampere United. He stated that his main reason to join Tampere United was coach Ari Hjelm. Season 2007 was a true break through for Petrescu to the elite of Veikkausliiga. He was one of the key players that led the team two a second consecutive championship. During the second qualifying round of the 2007/2008 Champions League edition, Petrescu scored a goal to help Tampere secure a prestigious 1:0 win against Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia in their home game. Tampere repeated the feat in the away game and became the first Finnish side to eliminate a Bulgarian club from the high-profile competition. However, the Finns were unable to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League, as they were eliminated by Norwegian side Rosenborg BK in the third qualifying round.

In 2007, he was selected as the best footballer of Pirkanmaa.

He was loaned to Italian Ascoli for the spring of 2009.^[2] In Ascoli he made his first appearance on 7 March in a match against Grosseto.^[3]

Panthrakikos

In January 2011 Petrescu joined Greek side Panthrakikos on a 1,5 years contract.^[4] He made just one appearance in the first team.

Honka

Petrescu represented seasons 2011-12 FC Honka in the Veikkausliiga. He gained 32 caps and scored two goals.

Haka

Petrescu transferred to FC Haka for the season 2013. During the fall of 2013 he made a short spell in Romanian first division side CSM Studențesc Iași.

Ilves

After season 2013 he moved on to Ilves on a three-year contract.^[5]

JJK

On 23 June 2016, he returned to JJK on a three-year contract.^[6]

International career

Petrescu became well known after playing in the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship, which were held in Finland where he scored two of three goals of Finland. He scored a goal in the opening game against China in the tournament. He was nominated as candidate by head coach Markku Kanerva for the Finland U-21 team for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals but he suffered an injury one month prior to the tournament and was forced to withdraw.^[7]

Personal life

Petrescu's father is Romanian and he has got an older brother, Ștefan Petrescu, who also plays football.

Honours

Club

Tampere United

Honka

Career statistics

Club

As of 2 April 2015^[8]

Club	Season	Division	League		Domestic Cups		Europe		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Inter Turku
	2005	Veikkausliiga	24	7	0	0	0	0	24	7
	2006	Veikkausliiga	20	3	0	0	0	0	20	3
Inter Turku Total			44	10	0	0	0	0	44	10
Inter Turku Total			Tampere United
2007	Veikkausliiga	24		6	0	0	6	2	30	8
2008	Veikkausliiga	19		4	0	0	2	0	21	4
Ascoli
Ascoli	2008–09	Serie B	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Ascoli Total			2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Ascoli Total			Tampere United
2009	Veikkausliiga	13		3	0	0	0	0	13	3
2010	Veikkausliiga	20		2	5	0	0	0	25	2
Tampere United Total			76	15	5	0	8	2	89	17
Tampere United Total			Panthrakikos
2010–11	Football League	1	Panthrakikos	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Panthrakikos Total			1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Panthrakikos Total			Honka
2011	Veikkausliiga	11		2	0	0	0	0	24	7
2012	Veikkausliiga	21		0	7	0	0	0	21	0
Honka Total			32	2	7	0	0	0	39	2
Honka Total			Haka
2012	Ykkönen	10	Haka	2	2	1	0	0	12	3
Haka Total			10	2	2	1	0	0	12	3
Haka Total			Politehnica Iași
2013–14	Liga II	5	Politehnica Iași	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
CSM Iași Total			5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
CSM Iași Total			Ilves
2014	Ykkönen	21		4	0	0	0	0	21	4
2015	Veikkausliiga	0		0	2	2	0	0	2	2
Ilves Total			21	4	2	2	0	0	23	6
Ilves Total			Career Total			191	33	14	3	8	2	213	38

References

^ "Tomi Petrescu ja viisi kysymysmerkkiä - Urheilu - Keskisuomalainen". Archived from the original on 25 September 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
^ "Petrescu menossa Ascoliin". Veikkausliiga.fi (in Finnish). 11 January 2009. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
^ "Tomi Petresculle ensiminuutit Italiassa". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 7 March 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
^ "UL: Petrescu siirtyy Tampere Unitedista Kreikkaan". MTV3 (in Finnish). 12 January 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
^ "Ennenaikainen joululahja Ilvekseltä | Ilves Jalkapallon edustusjoukkue". Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
^ "Tomi Petrescu palaa JJK:n paitaan" (in Finnish). YLE. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
^ "Kanervan ehdokaslistalla 23 liigapelaajaa" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga. 15 May 2009. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^ "Finland - T. Petrescu - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".

External links

Tomi Petrescu at CSM Studențesc Iași (in Romanian)
Tomi Petrescu – FIFA competition record (archived)
Tomi Petrescu at Soccerway
Veikkausliigan stats

[1] "Tomi Petrescu ja viisi kysymysmerkkiä - Urheilu - Keskisuomalainen". Archived from the original on 25 September 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2009.

[2] "Petrescu menossa Ascoliin". Veikkausliiga.fi (in Finnish). 11 January 2009. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2009.

[3] "Tomi Petresculle ensiminuutit Italiassa". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 7 March 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2009.

[4] "UL: Petrescu siirtyy Tampere Unitedista Kreikkaan". MTV3 (in Finnish). 12 January 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2011.

[5] "Ennenaikainen joululahja Ilvekseltä | Ilves Jalkapallon edustusjoukkue". Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.

[6] "Tomi Petrescu palaa JJK:n paitaan" (in Finnish). YLE. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.

[7] "Kanervan ehdokaslistalla 23 liigapelaajaa" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga. 15 May 2009. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.

[swayst-8] "Finland - T. Petrescu - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]