Adrian Mutu

Adrian Mutu
Adrian Mutu.jpg
Personal information
Full name Adrian Mutu
Date of birth January 8, 1979 (1979-01-08) (age 32)
Place of birth Călineşti, Romania
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club Fiorentina
Number 10
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1999 Argeş Piteşti 41 (11)
1999–2000 Dinamo Bucureşti 33 (22)
2000 Internazionale 10 (0)
2000–2002 Verona 57 (16)
2002–2003 Parma 31 (18)
2003–2004 Chelsea 27 (6)
2005–2006 Juventus 33 (7)
2006– Fiorentina 92 (54)
National team
2000–2009 Romania 67 (29)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 March 2010.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10 October 2009

Adrian Mutu (born 8 January 1979) is a Romanian footballer who plays as a striker for Italian Serie A club Fiorentina.

Contents

Club career

Argeş Piteşti

Mutu began his professional career with his home club Argeş Piteşti. He made his debut on 15 March 1997 against Oţelul Galaţi and went on to score 11 goals in 41 games before sealing a transfer to Dinamo Bucureşti.

Dinamo Bucureşti

His strong performances for Dinamo Bucureşti meant that Mutu did not spend long playing in the Romanian capital. He scored 22 goals in 33 games in total and played an important role in Dinamo's league and Romanian Cup success. However by the time that Dinamo lifted these trophies, Mutu had already left to play for Internazionale.

Internazionale

Having joined Inter midway through the season, Mutu made an immediate impact on his debut for the Italian side, in the Coppa Italia scoring within nine minutes of his appearance against derby rivals AC Milan to help Inter to a 3–2 victory. However, Mutu failed to replicate his form in Serie A, playing only ten games for the Nerazzurri without scoring, partially due to 3+2 non-EU quota.

Verona

In 2000, Mutu was sold to Verona in co-ownership deal.[1] The Veneto side has also signed Mauro Camoranesi (later team-mate at Juventus) and young rising star Alberto Gilardino (later team-mate at Fiorentina) that season but almost relegated after winning the relegation tie-breaker playoffs. In June 2001, Verona bought Mutu outright,[2] in although the quota system was abolished during the season.

Parma

In the 2002–03 season, Mutu was loaned to Parma with the option to purchase him outright.[3], followed Gilardino who arrived in June. At Parma, he met coach Cesare Prandelli (also at La Viola) and partnered Adriano Leite Ribeiro to form a deadly striking duo. He also met Sébastien Frey, Marco Marchionni and Alberto Gilardino who all later played for Fiorentina.

Chelsea

In August 2003, Chelsea paid Parma €22.5m (around £15.8m) for Mutu's transfer as part of new owner Roman Abramovich's spending spree,[4][5][6] He started with four goals in three matches, including two in a 4–2 victory over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, but Mutu scored fewer goals as the season progressed.

In the 2004–05 season, Mutu had a difficult relationship with the club's new manager José Mourinho, with each accusing the other of lying about whether the player was injured for a World Cup qualifying match against the Czech Republic.[7] In September 2004, he failed a drugs test for cocaine and was sacked on 29 October 2004. He also received a 7 month ban and a £20,000 fine from the Football Association. The ban ended on 18 May 2005.

Breach of contract saga

Chelsea started to seek compensation from Mutu in early 2005.[6][8] The Football Association Premier League Appeals Committee decided that the player had committed a breach of his contract without just cause [6] which made Chelsea eligible to claim the compensation.[9] Mutu started his first appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but the case was dismissed.[6]

On 11 May 2006, Chelsea FC applied to FIFA for an award of compensation against Mutu. In particular, the club requested that the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) should award an amount of compensation in favour of the club following the established breach of the Employment Contract committed by the Player without just cause.[6]

But on 26 October 2006, the DRC decided that it did not have jurisdiction to make a decision in the dispute between the Club and the Player and that the claim by the Club was therefore not admissible.[6]

On 22 December 2006, Chelsea FC lodged a new appeal before the CAS seeking the annulment of the DRC’s decision. On 21 May 2007, a CAS panel upheld the Club’s appeal, set aside the DRC’s decision, and referred the matter back to the DRC, “which does have jurisdiction to determine and impose the appropriate sporting sanction and/or order for compensation, if any, arising out of the dispute” between the Club and the Player,"[6]

On 6 August 2007, Chelsea FC, on the basis of the Second CAS Award, filed with the DRC a “Re-amended application for an award of compensation”, seeking damages, to be determined on the basis of various factors, “including the wasted costs of acquiring the Player (£ 13,814,000), the cost of replacing the Player (£22,661,641), the unearned portion of signing bonus (£ 44,000) and other benefits received by the Player from the Club (£ 3,128,566.03) as well as from his new club, .Juventus (unknown), the substantial legal costs that the Club has been forced to incur (£ 391,049.03) and the unquantifiable but undeniable cost in playing terms and in terms of the Club’s commercial brand values”, but “at least equivalent to the replacement cost of £ 22,661,641”.[6]

On 14 September 2007, Mutu submitted to the DRC a brief stating the “Position of Player Mutu regarding Chelsea FC’s petition for an award of compensation”, requesting its rejection, and asking FIFA to open an investigation against the Club for having used and/or dealt with unlicensed agents.[6] But Mutu failed to suspend the arbitration and his claim for unlicensed agent was found no such violation emerged.

On 7 May 2008, FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber ordered Mutu to pay €17,173,990 in compensation to his former club, Chelsea FC, for breach of contract.[10][11] It included € 16,500,000 for unamortised portion of the transfer fee paid to Parma, €307,340 for unamortised portion of the sign-on fee (received by Mutu), and €366,650 for unamortised portion of the fee to the Agent, but already not to take into account for the determination of the damages the amounts already paid by the Club to the Player (being the consideration for the services rendered) or the remaining value of the Employment Contract (valued for €10,858,500). Mutu have to pay within 30 days after informed the decision in August 2008.[6]

Mutu lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for the second time,[12] On 31 July 2009, the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed an appeal filed by Mutu regarding his fine,[10] Mutu is ordered to pay to Chelsea FC the amount, plus interest of 5% p.a. starting on 12 September 2008 until the effective date of payment, and the matter will be submitted to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee for its. In addition, Mutu had to pay the costs of the arbitration of both parties, and have to pay CHF 50,000 to Chelsea FC contribution towards the legal and other costs incurred in connection with these arbitration proceedings.[6] The fine was the highest ever levied by FIFA.[13]

Mutu may be banned from football, forcing him to retire if he does not pay the compensation,[14] although some lawyers have disputed this.[15] Mutu started his third appeal, this time to the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland in October 2009,[16] but on 14 June 2010 this appeal was also dismissed with Mutu again being ordered to pay Chelsea €17m in damages.[17][18] It was reported that Mutu will appeal to the European Court of Justice.[19]

Juventus

Mutu signed a five-year contract with the Italian club Juventus on 12 January 2005, despite still being banned from football until 18 May. As Juventus had no available room to buy another non-EU player from abroad, the move also involved fellow Serie A club Livorno, who signed the player and contemporaneously sold him to Juventus.[20][21] He made his first appearance on 29 May 2005, coming on as a substitute in the 57th minute of the last match of the season which was a 4–2 win over Cagliari. During the 2005–06 season, he scored seven goals in his 20 league match and 12 substitute appearances for Juventus. In the UEFA Champions League he made three starts and five substitute appearances and scored against Rapid Wien.

Fiorentina

On 8 July 2006, Fiorentina announced that they had signed Mutu for €8 million[22] from relegated Juventus which both clubs involved in the 2006 Italian football scandal. This reunited Mutu with his former manager at Parma, Cesare Prandelli. Mutu formed a productive partnership with then Fiorentina striker Luca Toni (now at Genoa)—the pair scored 32 goals in the 2006–07 season. He was named the best player of the season by “Il Calcio”, due to his 16 goals and eight assists in 33 games.

In July 2008, A.S. Roma made a reported €18 to 20 million offer to sign him outright,[23][24] But Mutu hinted that he may remain in Florence[25] and eventually signed a new contact reported last to 2012.[26]

On 30 November 2008, at his 200th match in Serie A, Mutu was chosen to captain Fiorentina in the game against Roma. On 2 February 2009, he scored his 100th and 101st Serie A goals against Bologna. On 15 February 2009, Mutu scored his first hat-trick with Fiorentina. After going 3–0 down against Genoa, Mutu converted a penalty, a free kick, and scored again in the final second of extra time, bringing the final score to 3–3. Despite a difficult elbow injury, Mutu managed to finish the 2008–2009 season with 14 goals, along with Gilardino they were one of the top ten single season striker partnerships in Viola history with 33 goals between them.

On 28 January 2010, it was reported again that Mutu had failed a doping test after the Fiorentina vs Bari match (10 January 2010, Serie A) and on 29 January 2010 it was reported that Mutu failed a doping test after the Fiorentina vs Lazio match (20 January 2010, Coppa Italia match), Mutu scored twice during that match, which ended 3–2. The Italian National Olympic Committee was requested to hand Mutu a one-year ban by the Italian anti-doping prosecutor.[27] He eventually received a nine-month ban on April 19, 2010; the ban will end on 29th October 2010.

International career

As of 2009, Mutu has played for Romania 67 times, scoring 29 goals, 18 of which have come in qualifying games. Romania has only lost once when Mutu has scored for them, which was in a 2004 European qualifying game against Denmark. He was the vice-captain of Romania. His performances (games, goals) with the Romanian national team earned him the Romanian Footballer of the Year award.

Since 2009, Romania's national team coach Răzvan Lucescu has reservations about convening him, because Mutu was exposed consuming alcohol before a match with Serbia in World Cup 2010 Qualifications.[28]

Euro 2008

Mutu scored Romania's only goal of Euro 2008 in the 55th minute of their second match against Italy, however in the same match he had a second-half penalty saved by Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, which could have sent Italy out of the competition and would have guaranteed Romania a spot in the quarter finals. The game finished 1–1.[29]

Career statistics

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Romania League Cupa României Europe Total
1996–97 Argeş Piteşti Divizia A 5 0 - - 5 0
1997–98 21 4 - - 21 4
1998–99 15 7 - 6 3 21 10
1998–99 Dinamo Bucureşti Divizia A 15 4 - - 15 4
1999–00 18 18 - 3 4 21 22
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Total
1999–00 Internazionale Serie A 10 0 4 2 - 14 2
2000–01 Verona Serie A 25 4 - - 25 4
2001–02 32 12 - - 32 12
2002–03 Parma Serie A 31 18 1 0 4 4 36 22
England League FA Cup Europe Total
2003–04 Chelsea Premier League 25 6 4 3 7 1 36 10
2004–05 2 0 - - 2 0
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Total
2004–05 Juventus Serie A 1 0 - - 1 0
2005–06 32 7 3 1 8 1 43 9
2006–07 Fiorentina Serie A 33 16 - - 33 16
2007–08 29 17 1 0 8 6 38 23
2008–09 19 13 1 0 9 2 29 15
2008–09 10 4 2 4 6 3 21 11
Total Romania 74 33 - 9 7 83 40
Italy 219 90 10 3 35 16 264 109
England 27 6 4 3 7 1 38 10
Career total 320 129 14 6 51 24 385 159

International goals

Personal life

Mutu was born in Călineşti, Romania. In 2001, Mutu married Romanian TV presenter Alexandra Dinu, but they divorced two years later, with Alexandra being awarded custody of their son Mario.

He has since been married to Dominican model Consuelo Matos Gómez; the couple have two daughters together.

References

  1. "MUTU-VERONA: FIRMA PER COMPROPRIETA'" (in Italian). FC Internazionale Milano. 2000-07-09. http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?L=it&N=138. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  2. "APERTE LE BUSTE: MUTU GIALLOBLU'" (in Italian). Hellas Verona FC. 2001-06-30. http://www.hellasverona.it/news.php?id=122. Retrieved 2010-04-08. 
  3. "CALCIOMERCATO: COMUNICATO UFFICIALE" (in Italian). Hellas Verona FC. 2002-08-31. http://www.hellasverona.it/news.php?id=791. Retrieved 2010-04-08. 
  4. "Mutu completes Chelsea switch". BBC. 2003-08-12. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/3145465.stm. Retrieved 2009-11-05. 
  5. "Mutu makes it seven". UEFA.com. 2003-08-12. http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid=89980.html. Retrieved 2009-11-05. 
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 "CAS 2008/A/1644 Adrian Mutu v/ Chelsea Football Club Limited: ARBITRAL AWARD delivered by the COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT". Court of Arbitration for Sport. 2009-07-31. http://www.tas-cas.org/d2wfiles/document/3459/5048/0/Award%201644%20FINAL.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  7. "Mutu hits out at Mourinho". BBC News. 6 October 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/3718894.stm. Retrieved 23 April 2010. 
  8. "Mutu contests compensation ruling". BBC. 2005-05-13. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/4544557.stm. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  9. "Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players (2001 edition)". FIFA. http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/status_transfer_sept2001_en_27.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  10. 10.0 10.1 "The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismisses Adrian Mutu's appeal". Court of Arbitration for Sport. 2009-07-31. http://www.tas-cas.org/d2wfiles/document/3433/5048/0/Press+release+2009.07.31.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  11. "DRC reaches decision on Mutu". FIFA.com. 2008-08-15. http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/federation/administration/news/newsid=850413.html. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  12. "Mutu lodges appeal over damages". BBC. 2008-09-05. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/7440416.stm. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  13. "Mutu loses appeal over huge fine". BBC Sport. 2009-07-31. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/8178248.stm. Retrieved 2009-07-31. 
  14. "FIFA Disciplinary Code (2009 edition". FIFA. 2008-12-20. http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/50/02/75/disco_2009_en.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  15. "Adrian Mutu Unlikely To Be Banned – Italian Lawyer". goal.com. 2009-08-29. http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2009/08/29/1469084/adrian-mutu-unlikely-to-be-banned-italian-lawyer. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  16. Sportsmail Reporter (2009-10-21). "Adrian Mutu's £17m Chelsea compensation payment delayed after Swiss Federal Court ruling". Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1221954/Adrian-Mutus-17m-Chelsea-compensation-payment-delayed-Swiss-Federal-Court-ruling.html. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  17. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2010-06-14-1704562955_x.htm
  18. "Urteil vom 10. Juni 2010 (4A_458/2009) Bundesgericht weist Beschwerde des Fussballspielers Adrian Mutu ab" (in German). Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland. 2010-06-14. http://www.bger.ch/mm_4a_458_2009_d.pdf. Retrieved 2010-06-14. 
  19. http://www.football-italia.net/jun14o.html
  20. "Spinelli: «Un favore In cambio 2 giovani»" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 2005-01-19. http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2005/gennaio/19/Spinelli_favore_cambio_giovani__ga_10_0501194414.shtml. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
  21. "Via libera a Mutu dall' Inghilterra" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 2005-01-29. http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2005/gennaio/29/Via_libera_Mutu_dall_Inghilterra_ga_10_0501291322.shtml. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
  22. "Agreement with ACF Fiorentina S.p.A.". Juventus FC. 2006-07-10. http://www.juventus.com/site/filesite/finance/comunicatipricesensitive/10_lug_2006_eng_fio.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  23. "Roma confirm Mutu offer". AFP. 2008-07-23. http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=831665.html. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  24. "OFFERTA FORMULATA PER L’ACQUISIZIONE DEL DIRITTO ALLE PRESTAZIONI SPORTIVE DEL CALCIATORE ADRIAN MUTU" (in Italian). AS Roma. 2008-07-23. http://www.asroma.it/UserFiles/851.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  25. "Mutu concentrates on Fiorentina future". AFP. 2008-07-15. http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=825552.html. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  26. "Mutu resolved to make music with Viola". UEFA.com. 2008-08-12. http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid=738042.html. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  27. "Italian authorities demand one-year ban for Mutu". ESPN. 31 March 2010. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=764306. Retrieved 31 March 2010. 
  28. Mutu excluded from the national football team(Romanian)[onlinesport.ro]
  29. Italy vs Romania match report

After a failded doping test, the FIFA didn't want to represent him and support him in their games. So they decided to give him the name 'Andrei Murgu'.

External links