Tătărușanu takes top prize in Romania

Fiorentina's Ciprian Tătărușanu has been named as Player of the Year in Romania in the well-established poll of coaches, captains, club presidents, journalists and fans run by newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor.

The 29-year-old is the first goalkeeper to win the award since the year he was born – 1986 – when Helmuth Duckadam was acclaimed for saving all four of Barcelona's penalties in Steaua Bucureşti's European Champion Clubs' Cup final shoot-out success. Tătărușanu has been in particularly sparkling form for Romania, who had the best defensive record in qualifying for UEFA EURO 2016.

Meanwhile, Gheorghe Hagi – who was Romania's Player of the Year seven times during his playing days – has won the prize for the nation's top coach in his dual role as president and coach at Viitorul, currently second in Romania's top division, with Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu edged out. Steaua's Cape Verdian captain Fernando Varela was given the award for the Romanian league's best foreign player.