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Merani Martvili
Full name	Football Club Merani Martvili
Founded	2006
Ground	Murtaz Khurtsilava stadium; Martvili
Capacity	1,850
Manager	Jesi Surmava
League	Erovnuli Liga 2
2024	3rd of 16 in Liga 3 (promoted)
Website	fcmerani.ge
Home colours	Away colours

FC Merani Martvili is a Georgian association football club based in Martvili. Following the 2024 season, they earned promotion to Erovnuli Liga 2, the 2nd division of Georgian football.

Being one of the youngest clubs, Merani have spent five seasons in the top division and once reached the final of the 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 Fridon 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 Zestaponi the team was beaten by Torpedo Kutaisi.^[3]

Merani came close back to Erovnuli Liga in 2017, although they were unable to beat Kolkheti 1913 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]

Two years later, Merani suffered an automatic relegation, although after a single season in Liga 3 snatched a last-gasp aggregate play-off victory over Shturmi to seal promotion back to the 2nd division.^[8]

Seasons

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^[a]
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^[b]
2021	2nd	3	36	19	7	10	65	44	64	Round of 16	Promotion play-off, lost^[c]
2022	2nd	4	28	12	6	10	55	53	42	Round of 16
2023	2nd	9	36	6	8	22	34	84	26	Round of 32	Relegated
2024	3rd	3	30	17	7	6	60	30	58	2nd round	Promotion play-off, won^[d]

^ Lost 4–3 on aggregate to Kolkheti 1913 in Liga 1/2 playoffs
^ Defeated Gori 3–1 on aggregate in Liga 2/3 playoffs
^ Lost to Torpedo 3–2 on aggregate in Liga 1/2 playoffs
^ Beat Shturmi 2–1 on aggregate in Liga 2/3 playoffs

Current squad

As of 16 March 2024^[9]

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	UZB	Akrom Khojaev
2	MF	GEO	Giorgi Gvasalia
3	DF	GEO	Aleksandre Abuladze
4	DF	GEO	Giorgi Oniani
6	DF	GEO	Roin Chkhaidze
7	FW	UZB	Javokhir Esankulov
8	MF	GEO	Luka Kadaria
9	MF	GEO	Irakli Pipia
10	MF	GEO	Rati Tsatskrialashvili
11	FW	GEO	Erasto Smirnovi
17	MF	GEO	Giorgi Gadrani


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
18	DF	GEO	Saba Tsulaia
19	DF	GEO	Davit Khorava
20	MF	GEO	Tamaz Sharvashidze
27	FW	GEO	Andro Jolokhava
30	MF	RUS	Renat Gagity
31	GK	GEO	Davit Asatiani
32	GK	GEO	Aleksandre Chikhadze
33	DF	GEO	Bakar Laghadze (Captain)
35	DF	GEO	Lasha Chaladze
40	DF	GEO	Lasha Oniani