Marian Aioani

Marian Mihai Aioani (born 7 November 1999) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Liga I club Rapid București.

Aioani started out as a senior at Chindia Târgoviște in 2016, aged 16, and amassed over 60 matches in the first division before moving to Farul Constanța in 2021. With the latter, he won a national title in his second season at the club.

Internationally, Aioani represented Romania at under-19, under-21, and under-23 levels, being selected in the squads for the UEFA Under-21 Euro 2021 and the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Early life
Aioani was born in Buftea, a town located 20 km north-west of Bucharest, and grew up sympathising Dinamo București.

Chindia Târgoviște
Aioani started his senior career with Chindia Târgoviște on 9 March 2016, at age 16, recording his debut in a 7–0 Liga II thrashing of CSM Metalul Reșița. He became an undisputed starter in the 2018–19 campaign, as his side achieved promotion to the Liga I by winning the second division.

Aioani's first match in the former competition came on 15 July 2019, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–2 away draw with Gaz Metan Mediaș.

Farul Constanța
On 22 June 2021, Aioani agreed to a four-year contract with fellow Liga I team Farul Constanța, being part in a swap deal which took several players in the other direction.

In the 2022–23 campaign, Aioani made 39 league appearances to help Farul in winning the national title. He had the most clean sheets (13, shared with Mihai Popa) and was named in the Liga I Team of the Season. On 12 July 2023, he made his debut in European competitions by playing in a 1–0 home win over Sheriff Tiraspol in the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round.

Rapid București
On 23 January 2024, it was announced that Aioani joined Rapid București on a three-and-a-half-year deal for a rumoured fee of €400,000 plus 20% interest on a future sale. Four days later, he made his debut in a 2–1 league derby win over Dinamo București.

International career
Aioani was selected by manager Adrian Mutu in the Romania squad for the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, but did not make any appearance as his nation exited the tournament in the group stage. He was then called up to the postponed 2020 Summer Olympics, this time starting in all three matches of another group-stage exit.

Honours
Chindia Târgoviște
 * Liga II: 2018–19

Farul Constanța
 * Liga I: 2022–23
 * Supercupa României runner-up: 2023

Individual
 * Liga I Team of the Season: 2022–23
 * Liga I Most Clean Sheets: 2022–23 (shared with Mihai Popa)