FC Merani Martvili

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]

Season	Div.	Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GF	GA	P	Cup	Notes
2007/08	2nd	3	27	13	5	9	36	25	44
2008/09	2nd	3	30	18	6	6	45	24	60	Quarter-finals
2009/10	2nd	3	28	17	2	9	44	31	53	Semi-finals
2010/11	2nd	2	32	22	7	3	60	15	73	Round of 16	Promoted
2011/12	1st	8	28	6	3	19	31	55	21	Quarter-finals
2012/13	1st	8	22	7	2	13	23	36	23	Round of 32	Relegation group
2013/14	1st	12	22	4	3	15	16	41	15	Round of 8	Relegation group
2014/15	1st	11	30	9	9	12	29	33	36	Round of 16
2015/16	1st	15	30	5	8	17	28	62	23	Round of 32	Relegated
2016	2nd	4	16	9	5	2	31	11	26	Runner-up	Relegation play-off, won
2017	2nd	2	36	24	8	4	67	16	80	Round of 8	Promotion play-off, lost
2018	2nd	10	36	8	12	16	36	47	36	Round of 16	Relegated
2019	3rd	1	36	26	4	6	78	24	82	Round of 8	Promoted
2020	2nd	8	18	6	6	6	23	20	30	Round of 32	Relegation play-off, won
2021	2nd	3	36	19	7	10	65	44	64	Round of 16	Promotion play-off, lost
2022	2nd	4	28	12	6	10	55	53	42	Round of 16

As of 1 August 2023[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 Luka Nanava 2 MF  GEO Giorgi Gegechkori 3 DF  BRA Felipe Siedekum 4 MF  GEO Luka Elbakidze 6 DF  GEO Lasha Jgamaia 8 MF  GEO Guram Lezhava 11 FW  GEO Erasto Smirnovi 13 DF  GEO Dato Todua 14 DF  GEO Nika Chumburidze 15 DF  GEO Mikheil Rukhaia 17 MF  GEO Kirile Erkvania

No. Pos. Nation Player 19 MF  GEO Gia Nadareishvili 20 MF  GEO Data Tsulaia 21 MF  GEO Nika Kitia 22 FW  GEO Luka Archaia 23 DF  GEO Kichi Meliava (C) 24 DF  GEO Matsi Dagargulia 27 FW  GEO Andro Jolokhava 29 GK  GEO Saba Kajaia 30 MF  RUS Renat Gagity 32 GK  GEO Gela Bendeliani — FW  RUS Alikhan Baksanokov

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

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.[10]

• Pirveli Liga
  • Silver Medal winner: 2010–11, 2017
  • Bronze Medal winner: 2007–08, 2008–09, 200–10, 2021
• David Kipiani Cup
  • Runners-up: 2016

Merani is a Georgian word for pegasus.

• Official website

• Official Facebook page

• Profile on Soccerway

• FC Merani Martvili Results