Andrei Silviu Margaritescu (born 1 January 1980) is a former Romanian professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
MÃÂrgÃÂritescu, nicknamed China, was born in PiteÃÂti on 1 January 1980 and began playing junior-level football at local club ArgeÃÂ, where he worked with coach Cristian Gheorghe. He made his Divizia A debut at age 19 on 2 November 1999, playing for Rapid BucureÃÂti under coach Mircea Lucescu in a 2âÂÂ1 victory over FC BraÃÂov. After receiving a red card in a game against Steaua BucureÃÂti, Lucescu gave him the captain's armband in the following game in order to make him more responsible and less aggressive in his play.
After only one season at Rapid, MÃÂrgÃÂritescu went to play four seasons in Divizia B for Tractorul BraÃÂov, Olimpia Satu Mare and Unirea FocÃÂani. Subsequently, he returned to Divizia A football as he was signed by Dinamo BucureÃÂti where he was recommended by Lucescu and a coach from his youth career IonuàChirilÃÂ. With The Red Dogs he managed to win the only trophies of his career. The first two were under coach Ioan Andone, starting with the 2004âÂÂ05 Cupa României when he played the full 90 minutes in the 1âÂÂ0 victory against Farul ConstanÃÂa in the final. The second was the 2005 Supercupa României as he played the entire match in the 3âÂÂ2 victory against rivals Steaua BucureÃÂti. Andone also used him in seven games during the 2005âÂÂ06 UEFA Cup campaign when the team eliminated Everton with a historical 5âÂÂ2 on aggregate, reaching the group stage. Afterwards he helped Dinamo win the 2006âÂÂ07 Liga I title, being used by coach Mircea Rednic in 31 games in which he scored one goal. In the same season the team reached the round of 32 in the UEFA Cup where they were eliminated with 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate by Benfica, MÃÂrgÃÂritescu playing 11 games in the campaign.
In 2008, MÃÂrgÃÂritescu went to play alongside fellow Romanians Florentin Petre and Daniel Pancu in Russia for Terek Grozny. He made his Russian Premier League debut on 13 July 2008 when coach Vyacheslav Hroznyi used him as a starter in a 0âÂÂ0 draw against FC Moscow. He returned to Dinamo in December 2009, where he stayed for one and a half years. During the 2011âÂÂ12 season spent at Mioveni, he made his last Divizia A appearances, totaling 156 matches with four goals in the competition and 29 games in European competitions. MÃÂrgÃÂritescu spent the last years of his career playing in the Romanian lower leagues for Mioveni, Atletic Bradu, Urban Titu and SCM PiteÃÂti.
MÃÂrgÃÂritescu played three matches for Romania in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, under coach Victor PiÃÂurcÃÂ. He made his debut on 6 September 2006 when he substituted for LaurenÃÂiu RoÃÂu in the 90th minute of a 2âÂÂ0 away victory against Albania. His second game was a 2âÂÂ0 away victory against Luxembourg and his final match was the second leg against Albania, a 6âÂÂ1 home victory.
On 25 March 2008, MÃÂrgÃÂritescu was decorated by the president of Romania, Traian BÃÂsescu, for his performance in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, where Romania managed to qualify to the final tournament. He received Medalia "Meritul Sportiv" â ("The Sportive Merit" Medal) class III.
On 27 June 2014, MÃÂrgÃÂritescu received a three-year suspended sentence for buying a car, knowing it was stolen.
Rapid BucureÃÂti
Dinamo BucureÃÂti