Marek Sapara

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Personal information
Marek Sapara
Full name	Marek Sapara
Date of birth	July 31, 1982
Place of birth	Košice, Slovakia
Nickname	Sapi
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Rosenborg B.K.
Senior clubs¹
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
2000–2000 2000–2002 2002–2006 2006–	FK Krásna nad Hornádom MFK Košice MFK Ružomberok Rosenborg B.K.	- (-) - (-) - (-) 5 (3)
National team²
2005–	Slovakia	3 (1)
¹ Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of August 2006. ² National team caps and goals correct as of August 2006. * Appearances (Goals)

Marek Sapara (born July 31, 1982 in Košice) is a Slovak player of the Norwegian football club Rosenborg B.K.. “Sapi” is a midfielder with an excellent football technique, fast ball control and an all-round view of the match.

He spent most of his football career in Kosice. He had played for youngsters, later went to primary sport school and sport grammar school. He won the youth national champions title with the VSS Kosice youth team in the 1999/2000 season which secured him a place in the 1.FC Kosice senior team in the following season. He spent the autumn season in the 3rd League Krasno nad Hornadom, after which he played regularly for the “Tigers’” first team during the spring season.

Marek did his compulsory military service in Kosice which seemed to slow down the football growth and progress of this talented footballer. Although he remained with the team, he could not participate in the team training more than twice a week. For a player full of ambitions, this was surely one of his most difficult periods that he had ever encountered. When Sapara fully returned to the team after the 9 months of the service, the situation in the club was rapidly deteriorating. The player started to think about his departure for better conditions, where his ambitions could be met.

A number of football clubs showed an interest for this skilful footballer: Trnava, Petrzalka, Zilina and Dubnica in Slovakia; Ostrava and Olomouc in the Czech Republic. Sapara however ended up shaking hands with Ruzomberok’s directors, who seemed to offer him the best conditions and contract.

His role in the MFK squad was to control the game and lead his team. He is able to play both effectively and for effect, his style is highly rational. Coach Komnacky selected Marek as his new team captain before the historically successful 2005/2006 season. This clearly had a significant impact both on his play and on his personality growth. So far he won a third place with MFK Ruzomberok in the 2003/2004 season and was the indispensable part of the team during the highly valued double season 2005/2006. He performed for the U-21 team on 10 occasions and once for the Slovak A-team in the 2006 World Cup qualification. Sapara also won the Season’s Eleven award after the 2005/2006 season.