Ioan Sabău

Ioan Sabău
Sabău in 2018
Personal information
Full name Ioan Ovidiu Sabău
Date of birth (1968-02-12) 12 February 1968
Place of birth Câmpia Turzii, Romania
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position Midfielder
Youth career
1982–1985 Universitatea Cluj
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1987 Universitatea Cluj 35 (4)
1988 ASA Târgu Mureș 12 (2)
1988–1990 Dinamo București 49 (8)
1990–1992 Feyenoord 39 (11)
1992–1996 Brescia 99 (10)
1996–1997 Reggiana 19 (1)
1997–1998 Brescia 7 (1)
1998–2000 Rapid București 43 (2)
2000–2001 Universitatea Cluj 19 (6)
2001–2003 Rapid București 35 (1)
2005 Gaz Metan Mediaș 1 (0)
Total 358 (46)
International career
1988–2001 Romania 55 (8)
Managerial career
2000–2001 Universitatea Cluj (player/coach)
2003 Universitatea Cluj
2003–2005 Gaz Metan Mediaș
2005–2009 Gloria Bistrița
2009–2010 Politehnica Timișoara
2010–2011 FCM Târgu Mureș
2012 FCM Târgu Mureș
2012 Rapid București
2013–2014 ASA Târgu Mureș
2023 Universitatea Cluj
2023–2025 Universitatea Cluj
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ioan "Neluțu" Ovidiu Sabău (born 12 February 1968) is a Romanian professional football manager and former player. He played as a midfielder for clubs in Romania, Italy, and the Netherlands, including Universitatea Cluj, Dinamo București, Feyenoord, Brescia, and Rapid București.

Sabău earned 55 caps for the Romania national team, representing his country at the 1990 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 1996. After retiring from playing, he managed several Romanian clubs, including Gaz Metan Mediaș, Poli Timișoara, and Universitatea Cluj, whom he coached to the Romanian Cup final in the 2022–23 season, which they lost in a penalty shootout.