# FC Zimbru Chișinău in European football

FC Zimbru is a Moldovan football club based in Botanica, Chișinău. They were the first Moldovan club to enter European competition, entering the UEFA Champions League in 1993. Since then, the club has competed in every UEFA-organised competition, with the exception of the now-defunct Intertoto Cup. Zimbru played their first European match on 18 August 1993 against Beitar from Jerusalem. The match took place at Republican Stadium in Chișinău, ended in a 1–1 draw, with Radu Rebeja scoring the equalizer in front of 13,000 spectators. Midfielder Boris Cebotari holds the record for playing in the most European matches for Zimbru with 31 appearances while Vadim Boreț, Victor Berco and Sergiu Epureanu are the club's top scorers with five goals each. In total, Zimbru have appeared in 21 European competitions.

## Matches

| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Agg. |
| 1993–94 | Champions League | Preliminary round | Beitar Jerusalem | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| 1994–95 | UEFA Cup | Preliminary round | Kispest Honvéd | 0–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 |
| 1995–96 | UEFA Cup | Preliminary round | Hapoel Tel Aviv | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 |
| 1995–96 | UEFA Cup | First round | RAF Jelgava | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 |
| 1995–96 | UEFA Cup | Second round | Sparta Prague | 0–2 | 3–4 | 3–6 |
| 1996–97 | UEFA Cup | Preliminary round | Hajduk Split | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–6 |
| 1997–98 | Cup Winners' Cup | Qualifying round | Shakhtar Donetsk | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–4 |
| 1998–99 | Champions League | First qualifying round | Újpest | 1–0 | 1–3 | 2–3 |
| 1999–00 | Champions League | First qualifying round | St Patrick's Athletic | 5–0 | 5–0 | 10–0 |
| 1999–00 | Champions League | Second qualifying round | Dinamo Tbilisi | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 |
| 1999–00 | Champions League | Third qualifying round | PSV Eindhoven | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 |
| 1999–00 | UEFA Cup | First round | Tottenham Hotspur | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–3 |
| 2000–01 | Champions League | First qualifying round | Tirana | 3–2 | 3–2 | 6–4 |
| 2000–01 | Champions League | Second qualifying round | Maribor | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| 2000–01 | Champions League | Third qualifying round | Sparta Prague | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 |
| 2000–01 | UEFA Cup | First round | Hertha Berlin | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 |
| 2001–02 | UEFA Cup | Qualifying round | Gaziantepspor | 0–0 | 1–4 | 1–4 |
| 2002–03 | UEFA Cup | Qualifying round | Göteborg | 3–1 | 2–2 | 5–3 |
| 2002–03 | UEFA Cup | First round | Real Betis | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–4 |
| 2003–04 | UEFA Cup | Qualifying round | Litex Lovech | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 |
| 2003–04 | UEFA Cup | First round | Aris | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 |
| 2006–07 | UEFA Cup | First qualifying round | Qarabağ | 1–1 | 2–1 (a.e.t) | 3–2 |
| 2006–07 | UEFA Cup | Second qualifying round | Metalurh Zaporizhya | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–3 |
| 2007–08 | UEFA Cup | First qualifying round | Artmedia Petržalka | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 (a) |
| 2009–10 | Europa League | First qualifying round | Okzhetpes | 1–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| 2009–10 | Europa League | Second qualifying round | Paços de Ferreira | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 |
| 2012–13 | Europa League | First qualifying round | Bangor City | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| 2012–13 | Europa League | Second qualifying round | Young Boys | 1–0 (a.e.t) | 0–1 | 1–1 (1–4 p) |
| 2014–15 | Europa League | First qualifying round | Shkëndija | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 |
| 2014–15 | Europa League | Second qualifying round | CSKA Sofia | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 (a) |
| 2014–15 | Europa League | Third qualifying round | Grödig | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 (a) |
| 2014–15 | Europa League | Play-off round | PAOK | 1–0 | 0–4 | 1–4 |
| 2016–17 | Europa League | First qualifying round | Chikhura Sachkhere | 0–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 (a) |
| 2016–17 | Europa League | Second qualifying round | Osmanlıspor | 2–2 | 0–5 | 2–7 |
| 2023–24 | Europa Conference League | First qualifying round | La Fiorita | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| 2023–24 | Europa Conference League | Second qualifying round | Fenerbahçe | 0–4 | 0–5 | 0–9 |
| 2024–25 | Conference League | Second qualifying round | Ararat-Armenia | 0–3 | 1–3 | 1–6 |

## Overall record
### By competition

| Competition | S | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| UEFA Champions League | 4 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 24 | 17 | +7 | 43.75 |
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | –3 | 0.00 |
| UEFA Europa League / UEFA Cup | 14 | 50 | 13 | 15 | 22 | 46 | 71 | –25 | 26.00 |
| UEFA Conference League | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 16 | –13 | 16.67 |
| Total | 21 | 74 | 21 | 19 | 34 | 74 | 108 | –34 | 28.38 |

### By country

| Opponents | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| Albania | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | +2 |
| Armenia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | −5 |
| Austria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Azerbaijan | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Bulgaria | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| Croatia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | −5 |
| Czech Republic | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 8 | −5 |
| England | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3 |
| Georgia | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 |
| Germany | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 |
| Greece | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | −4 |
| Hungary | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | −5 |
| Ireland | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | +10 |
| Israel | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Kazakhstan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Latvia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| Macedonia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Netherlands | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 |
| Portugal | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 |
| San Marino | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| Slovakia | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Slovenia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| Spain | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 |
| Sweden | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| Switzerland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Turkey | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 20 | −17 |
| Ukraine | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | −6 |
| Wales | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 |

## Player statistics

Players in bold are still active at the club. Correct as of 1 August 2024.

### Goal scorers

Key
| CL | UEFA Champions League |
| CWC | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup |
| EL | UEFA Europa League / UEFA Cup |
| CO | UEFA Conference League |
| Ranking | Name | Years | CL | CWC | EL | CO | Total |
| 1 | Vadim Boreț | 1999–2000 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 1 | Victor Berco | 1999–2000 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 1 | Sergiu Epureanu | 1999–2000 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 4 | Boris Cebotari | 2001–2003 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | Konstantin Kulik | 1998–2000 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Igor Oprea | 1999–2000 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Vladislav Gavriliuc | 1995 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Ion Testemițanu | 1995 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Daniel Bălașa | 2003–2006 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 10 | Boris Tropaneț | 1999 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Radu Rebeja | 1993–1995 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Viorel Frunză | 2002 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Levan Gvazava | 2002 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Aleksei Zhdanov | 2007 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Oleg Molla | 2012 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Serghei Alexeev | 2014 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Emerson | 2016 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 18 | Serghei Dodul | 1999 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Serhiy Zgura | 1997 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Anatol Tîmbur | 1994 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Alexandru Suharev | 1995 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Iurie Miterev | 1996 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Vladimir Shishelov | 2003 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Galust Petrosyan | 2006 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Sergiu Chirilov | 2006 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Kyrylo Kovalchuk | 2007 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Ion Demerji | 2009 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Oleg Andronic | 2009 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Gheorghe Andronic | 2009 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Akhmet Barakhoev | 2012 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Alexandru Grosu | 2014 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Landry Amani | 2014 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Alexandru Pașcenco | 2014 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Ștefan Burghiu | 2014 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Ion Jardan | 2016 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Veaceslav Zagaevschi | 2016 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Ilie Damașcan | 2016 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Marin Căruntu | 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 18 | Denys Dedechko | 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 18 | Justice Ohajunwa | 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Own goal
* Simon Handle (in the match Grödig – Zimbru)

### Most appearances

| Place | Name | Period | Apps |
| 1 | Boris Cebotari | 1993–2006 | 31 |
| 2 | Iurie Miterev | 1993–2001 | 29 |
| 3 | Vadim Boreț | 1994–2000 | 27 |
| 4 | Denis Romanenco | 1994–2001 | 24 |
| 5 | Igor Oprea | 1996–2003 | 23 |
| 6 | Valeriu Catînsus Sergiu Epureanu | 1998–2001 1998–2001 | 20 |
| 8 | Konstantin Kulik | 1998–2001 | 19 |
| 9 | Victor Berco | 1998–2001 | 18 |
| 10 | Ion Testemițanu Radu Rebeja Andriy Telesnenko Ruslan Gilazev | 1993–1998 1993–1998 1998–2000 1999–2000 | 16 |

## Record results

* Biggest home win: Zimbru – St Patrick's Athletic 5:0 (21 July 1999)
* Biggest home defeat: Zimbru – Hajduk Split 0:4 (17 July 1996), Zimbru – Fenerbahçe 0:4 (1 August 2023)
* Biggest away win: St Patrick's Athletic – Zimbru 0:5 (14 July 1999)
* Biggest away defeat: Osmanlıspor – Zimbru 5:0 (21 July 2016), Fenerbahçe – Zimbru 5:0 (26 July 2023)

## UEFA ranking 2025

| Rank | Team | Points |
| 349 | Zimbru Chișinău | 3.000 |
As of 13 March 2025. Source