Sorin Vlaicu (born 3 June 1965) is a retired Romanian international footballer.
Vlaicu was born on 3 June 1965 in ÃÂimian, Romania and began playing junior-level football in 1979, aged 14 at local club Mecanizatorul. He started his senior career at Mecanizatorul, going afterwards to Armata Craiova, and then in 1986 to Divizia C club UM TimiÃÂoara.
In 1987, Vlaicu signed with Politehnica TimiÃÂoara where coach Ion Ionescu gave him his Divizia A debut on 14 May 1988 in a 6âÂÂ0 away loss to Dinamo BucureÃÂti. At the end of his first season, the team was relegated to Divizia B, but he stayed with the club, helping it get promoted back after one year, contributing with four goals scored, including one in a 3âÂÂ1 West derby victory against UTA Arad. He played four matches in the 1990âÂÂ91 UEFA Cup edition under coach Constantin RÃÂdulescu, as in the first round they got past Atlético Madrid with 2âÂÂ1 on aggregate, being eliminated in the next round by Sporting Lisbon against whom he scored once. Subsequently, the club reached the 1992 Cupa României final, where coach Ionescu used him the entire match in the loss at the penalty shoot-out to Steaua BucureÃÂti, Vlaicu missing his spot kick.
Vlaicu was transferred in 1992 by the 1991 European Champions Red Star Belgrade. He left the Yugoslavs after only half a season to return to Politehnica, but they still managed to win the Yugoslavia Cup without him. The White-Purples were relegated at the end of the 1993âÂÂ94 season, Vlaicu spending one more year with them in Divizia B. In 1995 he moved to Hungary to play for Békéscsaba, making his Nemzeti Bajnokság I debut on 10 May under coach József Pásztor in a 0âÂÂ0 draw against ÃÂjpest. Five days later, Vlaicu scored his first goal in a 2âÂÂ2 draw against Gyà Âr. He made his last Nemzeti Bajnokság I on 23 June 1996 in a 3âÂÂ1 home win over Gyà Âr, having a total of 14 games with two goals scored in the competition. Subsequently, he made a third comeback at Politehnica. In the 1996âÂÂ97 season the club was relegated once again to the second division, where Vlaicu spent another one and a half years.
In 1999 he signed a contract with Drobeta-Turnu Severin in Divizia B. In April 2000, together with 16 other players, Vlaicu accused the board of inducing the players to lose a match against Chimica TârnÃÂveni. After examining the case, the Romanian Football Federation punished the clubs with mutual walkovers for both league matches and deducted six points from Drobeta-Turnu Severin. He then moved to UM TimiÃÂoara, managing to earn promotion to the first league in the 2000âÂÂ01 season. Vlaicu made his last Divizia A appearance on 1 June 2002 in UM's 1âÂÂ0 home loss to CeahlÃÂul Piatra NeamÃÂ, totaling 214 matches with 19 goals in the competition. He ended his career one year later, playing with UM and CFR TimiÃÂoara in the Romanian lower leagues.
Vlaicu played four friendly games for Romania, making his debut on 17 April 1991 when coach Mircea RÃÂdulescu sent him to replace captain Gheorghe Hagi in the 61st minute of a 2âÂÂ0 away victory against Spain. He made his last appearance for the national team on 8 April 1992 in a 2âÂÂ0 home win over Latvia.
Vlaicu coached TimiÃÂul Albina during the 2005âÂÂ06 Divizia D season, at the end of which the team earned promotion to Divizia C. In March 2014 he was brought by Dan Alexa to be his assistant at ACS Poli TimiÃÂoara. He also coached juniors.
Politehnica TimiÃÂoara
Red Star Belgrade
UM TimiÃÂoara
TimiÃÂul Albina