# Nicușor Bancu

Nicușor Silviu Bancu (Romanian pronunciation:; born 18 September 1992) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a left-back or a midfielder for Liga I club Universitatea Craiova, which he captains, and the Romania national team.

## Club career

Bancu recorded his competitive debut for Universitatea Craiova on 16 July 2014, a 0–1 Cupa Ligii loss to Rapid București. His first Liga I match came nine days later in a 1–1 home draw with Pandurii Târgu Jiu.
He scored his first goal for the Alb-albaștrii on 9 September that year, in a 2–0 defeat of Universitatea Cluj. 29 October, Bancu was injured by Viitorul Constanța player Alin Șeroni in a Cupa României Round of 16 game, which ended 1–1 after 90 minutes. He suffered a broken tibia and was sidelined for around half a year.
Bancu made 34 appearances in all competitions in the following season, as his team finished on the eighth place in the domestic league.
In 2019, it was announced that Lazio are keen on bringing Craiova captain Bancu to Stadio Olimpico. They have been monitoring his progress over the past few seasons. Former Biancocelesti captain, Cristiano Bergodi, likened Bancu to Senad Lulić. Earlier, in 2016, Universitatea Craiova rejected an offer from PSV Eindhoven for Bancu.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 14 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Olt Slatina | 2011–12 | Liga II | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 1 |
| Olt Slatina | 2012–13 | Liga II | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | 3 |
| Olt Slatina | 2013–14 | Liga II | 30 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | 4 |
| Olt Slatina | Total | Total | 68 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 69 | 8 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2014–15 | Liga I | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 1 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2015–16 | Liga I | 32 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 34 | 3 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2016–17 | Liga I | 35 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 40 | 3 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2017–18 | Liga I | 34 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 4 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2018–19 | Liga I | 33 | 4 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 6 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2019–20 | Liga I | 31 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | 13 | 1 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2020–21 | Liga I | 35 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 2 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2021–22 | Liga I | 35 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 2 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2022–23 | Liga I | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | 19 | 1 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2023–24 | Liga I | 36 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 39 | 2 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2024–25 | Liga I | 27 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 1 |
| Universitatea Craiova | Total | Total | 324 | 25 | 31 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 381 | 30 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 392 | 33 | 32 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 450 | 38 |

### International

    As of 18 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Romania | 2017 | 1 | 0 |
| Romania | 2018 | 6 | 0 |
| Romania | 2019 | 6 | 0 |
| Romania | 2020 | 4 | 0 |
| Romania | 2021 | 5 | 1 |
| Romania | 2022 | 6 | 1 |
| Romania | 2023 | 6 | 0 |
| Romania | 2024 | 10 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 44 | 2 |
    As of 11 June 2022.
    Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bancu goal.
List of international goals scored by Nicușor Bancu :
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 14 November 2021 | Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein | 22 | Liechtenstein | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 11 June 2022 | Stadionul Rapid-Giulești, Bucharest, Romania | 25 | Finland | 1–0 | 1–0 | UEFA Nations League B |

## Honours

Universitatea Craiova
* Cupa României: 2017–18, 2020–21
* Supercupa României: 2021
Individual
* Liga I Team of the Season: 2020–21, 2021–22