Georgi Kitanov
Georgi Kitanov (Bulgarian: Георги Китанов; born 6 March 1995) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Liga I side Astra Giurgiu.
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Georgi Georgiev Kitanov | ||
| Date of birth | 6 March 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1] | ||
| Playing position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Astra Giurgiu | ||
| Number | 33 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2012 | Cherno More | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2016 | Cherno More | 110 | (0) |
| 2016–2019 | CSKA Sofia | 38 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | → Cherno More (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| 2019– | Astra Giurgiu | 13 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2011–2012 | Bulgaria U17 | 6 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Bulgaria U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2012–2016 | Bulgaria U21 | 17 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 December 2019 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 December 2016 | |||
Kitanov has been with Cherno More since the age of 9. He has also represented Bulgaria at under-17, under-19 and under-21 level.
Career
Cherno More
Kitanov was born in Blagoevgrad, but grew up in Varna. He joined Cherno More Academy at the age of nine.[2] In May 2012, he was promoted to the senior squad and given the number 33, for to replace the injured Petar Denchev. Kitanov made his first team debut in a 2–1 league win over Vidima-Rakovski on 14 May, coming on as a substitute for Plamen Kolev at the age of 17 years, 2 months and 8 days.
On 11 August 2012, he was handed his first league start, in a 3–0 home loss against Ludogorets Razgrad on the opening day of the 2012–13 season. A week later, Kitanov made his second start for Cherno More, keeping a clean sheet against Etar 1924 at Ivaylo Stadium. In January 2013, he spent a week on trial at Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.[3]
On 19 October 2014, Kitanov kept a clean sheet in the 4–0 win over Beroe, but was seriously injured in the closing minutes of the match, suffering a broken foot after a challenge from a Beroe player. He underwent an operation and is expected to recover in four months' time at the earliest.[4] Kitanov made his comeback for Cherno More from a serious injury on 26 May 2015, playing for 56 minutes of the 2–1 defeat against Lokomotiv Plovdiv.
On 3 March 2016 against Beroe, Kitanov made his 100th A Group appearance.[5]
CSKA Sofia
On 2 June 2016 Kitanov moved to CSKA Sofia for 3 years.[6] After quickly establishing himself as the first choice goalkeeper, Kitanov lost his status as the primary custodian shortly after the arrival of Lithuanian Vytautas Černiauskas. He was sent on loan at Cherno More on 3 September 2018 until the end of the season.[7]
Astra Giurgiu
On 19 June 2019, Kitanov signed a 3-year contract with Romanian Liga I side Astra Giurgiu.[8]
International career
Under U21
On 26 March 2016 Kitanov was in the starting lineup for the goalless draw with Wales U21.[9][10]
On 21 May 2016 Kitanov was in the starting lineup during the 0-1 defeat from France U21.[11]
Senior
In November 2016 Kitanov received his first call-up to the senior Bulgaria squad for a match against Belarus.[12]
Statistics
As of 20 June 2019
| Club performance | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | League | Season | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |
| Bulgaria | League | Bulgarian Cup | Europe | Other[lower-alpha 1] | Total | ||||||||
| Cherno More | A Group | 2011–12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2012–13 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 29 | 0 | |||||
| 2013–14 | 35 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 37 | 0 | |||||
| 2014–15 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 12 | 0 | |||||
| 2015–16 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |||
| Total | 110 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 115 | 0 | |||
| CSKA Sofia | First League | 2016–17 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 33 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 2018–19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |||
| Cherno More (loan) | First League | 2018–19 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 11 | 0 | |||
| Astra Giurgiu | Liga I | 2019–20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | |||
| Career statistics | 155 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 162 | 0 | |||
- Includes Bulgarian Supercup matches.
Honours
References
- "Профил на Георги Китанов" (in Bulgarian). winner.bg. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- "Атанас Илиев и Георги Китанов са бъдещето на Черно море" (in Bulgarian). arenavarna.com. 16 May 2012.
- "Georgi Kitanov on trial at PSV Eindhoven". scouting-team.com. 10 January 2013.
- "Китанов: не се сърдя на Гади, стават такива неща, не е искал да ми причини болка" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 22 October 2014.
- "Жоро Китанов – най-опитния млад играч в А група" (in Bulgarian). arenavarna.com. 4 March 2016.
- Георги Китанов премина в ЦСКА
- Георги Китанов беше преотстъпен
- Trei noutăți sub comanda lui Alexa. afcastragiurgiu.ro (in Romanian)
- България не успя да преклони Уелс
- Младежите не успяха да се справят с Уелс (видео)
- Младите "лъвове" отстъпиха пред Франция
- "Petar Hubchev named an expanded group for Belarus". bfunion.bg. 4 November 2016. Archived from the original on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.