Tomi Petrescu

Tomi Petrescu (born 24 June 1986), is a Finnish professional football winger and attacking midfielder who plays for Finnish Veikkausliiga side Ilves 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.

Tomi Petrescu
Personal information
Date of birth (1986-06-24) 24 June 1986
Place of birth Jyväskylä, Finland
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Winger / Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
 JJK
Number 51
Youth career
1995–2001 JJK
2001–2004 Leicester City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2005 Leicester City 1 (0)
2005–2006 Inter Turku 44 (10)
2007–2010 Tampere United 76 (15)
2009 → Ascoli 2 (0)
2011 Panthrakikos 1 (0)
2011–2012 FC Honka 32 (2)
2013 FC Haka 15 (6)
2013 Politehnica Iași 5 (0)
2014–2016 Ilves 52 (9)
2016– JJK 40 (7)
National team‡
2001–2003 Finland U-17 25 (2)
2004–2008 Finland U-21 7 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 2 September 2016
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 March 2014

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
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Inter Turku
2005 Veikkausliiga 2470000247
2006 Veikkausliiga 2030000203
Inter Turku Total 441000004410
Tampere United
2007 Veikkausliiga 2460062308
2008 Veikkausliiga 1940020214
Ascoli
2008–09 Serie B 20000020
Ascoli Total 20000020
Tampere United
2009 Veikkausliiga 1330000133
2010 Veikkausliiga 2025000252
Tampere United Total 761550828917
Panthrakikos
2010–11 Football League 10000010
Panthrakikos Total 10000010
Honka
2011 Veikkausliiga 1120000247
2012 Veikkausliiga 2107000210
Honka Total 3227000392
Haka
2012 Ykkönen 1022100123
Haka Total 1022100123
Politehnica Iași
2013–14 Liga II 50000050
CSM Iași Total 50000050
Ilves
2014 Ykkönen 2140000214
2015 Veikkausliiga 00220022
Ilves Total 2142200236
Career Total 191331438221338

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 25 September 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  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. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  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.
  8. https://int.soccerway.com/players/tomi-petrescu/77679/
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