FC Merani Martvili

FC Merani Martvili is a Georgian association football club based in Martvili, which currently takes part in Liga 2, the second division of Georgian league system.

Merani Martvili
Full nameFootball Club Merani Martvili
Founded2006
GroundMurtaz Khurtsilava Stadium
Martvili
Capacity1,850
ManagerTsotne Moniava
LeagueErovnuli Liga 2
20213rd of 10

Being one of the youngest clubs, Merani has spent five seasons in the top division and once reached the final of David Kipiani Cup.

History

Football clubs from Martvili have previously been called Salkhino Gegechkori (Soviet times), Chkondidi Martvili and Salkhino Martvili.

FC Merani was founded by Georgian ex-minister of communications Pridon Injia in 2006.[1]

In their first season in Pirveli liga under head coach Malkhaz Zhvania Merani came 3rd and until the promotion to Umaglesi Liga in 2011/12 they stayed among the top five clubs.

In 2010 Merani became a first II league club to play in David Kipiani Cup semifinals where they lost 1-2 on aggregate to WIT Georgia, the Cup winners of the season.[2] The next year Merani successfully completed their season and as a second-placed team gained promotion to the top flight.

During the next five seasons in Umaglesi Liga Merani achieved the best result in their first year when they came 5th during the regular season and earned a place in the championship round. In other cases the club was mostly involved in relegation battles.

In 2015/16 Merani were relegated. In the same year they managed to reach the Cup final after having eliminated Dila, Kolkheti-1913 and Chikhura in previous rounds, but in the title-deciding game held in Zestafoni the team was beaten by Torpedo Kutaisi.[3]

Merani came close back to Erovnuli Liga in 2017, although they were unable to beat Kolkheti Poti in promotion play-offs.

At the end of the next season Merani lost the last two league games and surprisingly finished at the bottom of the table, which implied an automatic relegation.[4] After one year spent in Liga 3 though they returned to the second division.

In early 2021 Pridon Injia quit the club and Jesi Surmava, the head of Martvili Football School, took over the management, which resulted in major changes among both staff and squad members.[5] 27 year-old head coach Tsotne Moniava in his first year in charge of a professional club was named the Manager of Round IV (October-December) after guiding Merani to the bronze medals and promotion playoffs. Besides, Merani's two players were included in the symbolic team.[6] Despite a two-goal advantage achieved at home after the first game against Torpedo Kutaisi, the club suffered a heart-breaking extra-time defeat during a dramatic and action-packed return leg.[7]

Seasons
Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GF GA P Cup Notes
2007/08 2nd 3 271359 362544
2008/09 2nd 3 301866 452460 Quarter-finals
2009/10 2nd 3 281729 443153 Semi-finals
2010/11 2nd 2 322273 601573 Round of 16 Promoted
2011/12 1st 8 286319 315521 Quarter-finals
2012/13 1st 8 227213 233623 Round of 32 Relegation group
2013/14 1st 12 224315 164115 Round of 8 Relegation group
2014/15 1st 11 309912 293336 Round of 16
2015/16 1st 15 305817 286223 Round of 32 Relegated
2016 2nd 4 16952 311126 Runner-up Relegation play-off, won
2017 2nd 2 362484 671680 Round of 8 Promotion play-off, lost
2018 2nd 10 3681216 364736 Round of 16 Relegated
2019 3rd 1 362646 782482 Round of 8 Promoted
2020 2nd 8 18666 232030 Round of 32 Relegation play-off, won
2021 2nd 3 3619710 654464 Round of 16 Promotion play-off, lost

Current squad

As of 3 March 2022[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  GEO Saba Kajaia
3 DF  GEO Beka Bibilashvili
4 DF  GEO Nikoloz Kharabadze
5 DF  GEO Giorgi Gegia
6 MF  GEO Lasha Jgamaia
7 DF  GEO Papuna Poniava
8 MF  GEO Zviad Sikharulia
9 FW  MLI Sheikne Sila
10 MF  GEO Tsotne Patsatsia
11 FW  GEO Zviad Kantaria
14 MF  GEO Nika Shalamberidze
17 MF  GEO Luka Kikabidze
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 MF  GEO Data Tsulaia
21 FW  GEO Tornike Muzashvili
22 MF  GEO Davit Lomtadze
23 MF  GEO Kichi Meliava
24 DF  GEO Malkhaz Gagoshidze
28 DF  GEO Nikoloz Apakidze
30 FW  LES Masoabi Nkoto
33 MF  GEO Lasha Chaladze
39 GK  GEO Lasha Gordulava
40 MF  GEO Levan Tsotsonava
— FW  GEO Nikoloz Esanjia

Other teams

Merani also have a reserve team, which as Merani-2 competes in Liga 4.[9]

Manager

Tsotne Moniava was appointed as head coach in February 2021. He had trained Merani U19 team for six previous years.[10]

Stadium

Merani plays home matches at Murtaz Khurtsilava stadium, which has the capacity of 1,850 seats.

In February 2017 this arena hosted the Georgian Super Cup game.[11]

Honours
  • David Kipiani Cup
    • Runners-up 2016

Name

Merani is a Georgian word for pegasus.

References
  1. "საფეხბურთო კლუბი მარტვილის „მერანი"". fcmerani.ge (in Georgian).
  2. "Georgian Cup 2009-10". soccerway.com.
  3. "ტორპედო საქართველოს თასის მფლობელია". kutaisipost.ge (in Georgian).
  4. "Pirveli liga 2018". soccerway.com.
  5. "ჯესი სურმავა: "მერანის" გადმოცემის პროცესი ნამდვილად მიმდინარეობს". 1tv.ge (in Georgian).
  6. "ეროვნული ლიგა 2-ის მეოთხე წრის საუკეთესო ფეხბურთელი, მწვრთნელი და სიმბოლური გუნდი". vbetnews.com (in Georgian).
  7. "დრამა და ქამბექი ქუთაისში – ტორპედო ეროვნულ ლიგაში დარჩა". leadersport.ge (in Georgian).
  8. "Merani players". gff.ge.
  9. "Liga 4, 2021". gff.ge.
  10. "მერანს ცოტნე მონიავა გაწვრთნის". fcmerani.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  11. "სად ჩატარდება საქართველოს სუპერთასის მატჩი". goal.ge (in Georgian).


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