Georgi Kitanov

Georgi Kitanov
Kitanov playing for Fratria in 2024.
Personal information
Full name Georgi Georgiev Kitanov
Date of birth (1995-03-06) 6 March 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
2004–2012 Cherno More
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2016 Cherno More 110 (0)
2016–2019 CSKA Sofia 35 (0)
2018–2019 → Cherno More (loan) 10 (0)
2019–2020 Astra Giurgiu 13 (0)
2020–2021 Petrolul Ploiești 11 (0)
2021–2024 Floriana 67 (0)
2024 Fratria 17 (0)
International career‡
2011–2012 Bulgaria U-17 6 (0)
2012–2013 Bulgaria U-19 3 (0)
2012–2016 Bulgaria U-21 18 (0)
2016–2017 Bulgaria 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 07:50, 9 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 December 2017

Georgi Kitanov (Bulgarian: Георги Китанов; born 6 March 1995) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper.

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 with Cherno More in 2013.

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 was 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]

Fratria Varna

On 17 June 2024, Kitanov joined to the newly promoted to Bulgarian Second League team Fratria.[9] He become a regular starter until November, when he got an injury. On 12 December 2024 it was announced he reached agreement to leave the club as few First league teams were interested in him.[10]

International career

Under U21

On 26 March 2016 Kitanov was in the starting lineup for the goalless draw with Wales U21.[11][12]

On 21 May 2016 Kitanov was in the starting lineup during the 0-1 defeat from France U21.[13]

Senior

In November 2016 Kitanov received his first call-up to the senior Bulgaria squad for a match against Belarus.[14]

Statistics

As of 9 December 2024

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[a] 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
Romania League Cupa României Europe Other[b] Total
Astra Giurgiu Liga I 2019–20 13 0 0 0 – – 13 0
Petrolul Ploiești Liga II 2020–21 11 0 2 0 – – 13 0
Malta League Maltese FA Trophy Europe Other[c] Total
Floriana Premier League 2021–22 24 0 3 0 – – 27 0
2022–23 19 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 23 0
2023–24 24 0 2 0 – – 26 0
Total 67 0 6 0 2 0 1 0 76 0
Bulgaria League Bulgarian Cup Europe Other[d] Total
Fratria Second League 2024–25 17 0 1 0 – – 18 0
Career statistics 263 0 17 0 3 0 2 0 285 0
  1. ^ Includes Bulgarian Supercup matches.
  2. ^ Includes Supercupa României matches.
  3. ^ Includes Maltese Super Cup matches.
  4. ^ Includes Bulgarian Supercup matches.

Honours

Club

Cherno More

References

  1. ^ "Профил на Георги Китанов" (in Bulgarian). winner.bg. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Атанас Илиев и Георги Китанов са бъдещето на Черно море" (in Bulgarian). arenavarna.com. 16 May 2012.
  3. ^ "Georgi Kitanov on trial at PSV Eindhoven". scouting-team.com. 10 January 2013.
  4. ^ "Китанов: не се сърдя на Гади, стават такива неща, не е искал да ми причини болка" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Жоро Китанов – най-опитния млад играч в А група" (in Bulgarian). arenavarna.com. 4 March 2016.
  6. ^ Георги Китанов премина в ЦСКА
  7. ^ Георги Китанов беше преотстъпен
  8. ^ Trei noutăți sub comanda lui Alexa. afcastragiurgiu.ro (in Romanian)
  9. ^ Новият хит на Втора лига се подсили с бивш вратар на ЦСКА-София
  10. ^ Фратрия и Георги Китанов се разделиха по взаимно съгласие
  11. ^ България не успя да преклони Уелс
  12. ^ Младежите не успяха да се справят с Уелс (видео)
  13. ^ Младите "лъвове" отстъпиха пред Франция
  14. ^ "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.