Ivan Merli Sala

Ivan Merli Sala
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-02-08) 8 February 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Segrate, Italy
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Olginatese
Youth career
Belluno
2006–2008 Treviso
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Viterbese 13 (0)
2009–2010 Cassino 29 (1)
2010–2012 Foligno 35 (0)
2012 Lecco 18 (1)
2012–2013 Fano 26 (0)
2013–2015 Belluno 64 (5)
2015–2016 Seregno 37 (2)
2016 Altovicentino 12 (0)
2016–2017 Seregno 18 (0)
2017–2022 Lecco 127 (6)
2022– Olginatese 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 April 2022

Ivan Merli Sala (born 8 February 1989) is an Italian footballer who plays as a centre-back for Olginatese.

Club career

Born in Segrate, the Province of Milan, Lombardy, Merli Sala was signed by Veneto club Treviso in January 2006 from another Veneto club Belluno. Since 2006–07 season he played for its under-20 team.[1]

Merli Sala made his senior debut with Serie D club Viterbese in 2008–09 Serie D. In mid-2009 he returned to professional league for Cassino.[2] That season he was selected to Lega Pro Seconda Divisione Group C under-21 representative team in 2010 Lega Pro Quadrangular Tournament. Eventually Group C was the fourth.[3] Cassino bankrupted at the end of season. In July 2010 he was signed by Serie A club Chievo on free transfer. He was immediately farmed to Italian third division club Foligno in co-ownership deal, for a peppercorn fee of €100.[4] Merli Sala made 24 starts in the first season but only played 8 times in 2011–12 Lega Pro Prima Divisione. On 30 December 2011 the club formed a deal with Lecco, which the club sold Nicola Padoin to Foligno. At the same time Lecco got Paolo Castellazzi, Matteo Cavagna and Merli Sala.[5][6] In June 2012 Chievo gave up the remain 50% registration rights.

In summer 2012 he was signed by Fano in 2-year contract.[7] After the club relegated, he was signed by another Serie D club Belluno.[8]

He rejoined Lecco in the summer of 2017 in Serie D. On 11 July 2019, following Lecco's promotion to Serie C, he extended his contract by another year.[9]

On 4 July 2022, Merli Sala left Lecco after five seasons and signed with Olginatese.[10]

References

  1. ^ "ORGANIGRAMMA SETTORE GIOVANILE". Treviso FBC 1993 (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2 March 2007.
  2. ^ "Cassino, arriva anche Merli Sala". Tutto Mercato Web (in Italian). 7 August 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  3. ^ "ALL'UNDER 20 DI LEGA IL QUADRANGOLARE D'INVERNO". Lega Pro (in Italian). 21 January 2010. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  4. ^ AC ChievoVerona srl Report and Accounts on 30 June 2011 (in Italian)
  5. ^ "Conferenza di chiusura anno. Il punto sul mercato". Foligno Calcio (in Italian). 30 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  6. ^ "TRE MOSCHETTIERI ALLA CORTE BLUCELESTE". Calcio Lecco 1912 (in Italian). 2 January 2012. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  7. ^ "LA DIFESA SI RAFFORZA CON MERLI SALA" (Google Cache) (in Italian). Alma Juventus Fano 1906. c. 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2013. Si comunica ufficialmente che è stato raggiunto l'accordo con il difensore classe 1989 Ivan Merli Sala; il giocatore arriva alla corte di mister Zeman dopo aver firmato un contratto biennale. MERLI SALA, difensore centrale classe '89, 1,85 m x 83 kg, è la nuova pedina nello scacchiere granata; all'età di 18 anni fa il suo debutto in serie D con la maglia della Viterbese (13 presenze con 2 gol) prima di approdare, nella stagione 2009/2010 nelle fila del Cassino dove gioca 30 partite e segna 1 rete. Nella stessa stagione, viene selezionato nella rappresentativa di Lega Pro 2°divisione girone C per disputare il quadrangolare di Lega Pro; nell'estate 2010, viene messo sotto contratto dal Chievo, in comproprietà con il Foligno (serie C1), dove gioca fino la metà della scorsa stagione (35 presenze) prima di essere acquistato definitivamente dalla società clivense e concludere l'annata con la maglia del Lecco. Da parte dell'ufficio stampa, un grande in bocca al lupo ad Ivan per la nuova stagione. [dead link‍]
  8. ^ "Ufficiale la firma di Ivan Merli Sala". Corriere delle Alpi (in Italian). 18 August 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  9. ^ "Comunicato Ufficiale: Ivan Merli Sala rinnova con la Calcio Lecco 1912" (Press release) (in Italian). Lecco. 11 July 2019.
  10. ^ "Altri due colpi per volare alto! Ufficiali gli arrivi di Merli Sala e di Stefano Panigada" (in Italian). Olginatese. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.