Saba Sazonov

Footballer (born 2002)

საბა საზონოვი
Sazonov with Dynamo Moscow in 2022
Personal informationFull name Saba Andreyevich SazonovDate of birth (2002-02-01) 1 February 2002 (age 22)Place of birth Saint Petersburg, RussiaHeight 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]Position(s) Centre-backTeam information
Current team
Empoli
(on loan from Torino)Number 15Youth career2008–2020 Zenit Saint PetersburgSenior career*Years Team Apps (Gls)2019–2021 Zenit-2 Saint Petersburg 24 (3)2021 Zenit Saint Petersburg 1 (0)2021–2023 Dynamo Moscow 34 (1)2021–2022 → Dynamo-2 Moscow 9 (2)2023– Torino 13 (0)2024– → Empoli (loan) 0 (0)International career‡2022– Georgia U21 7 (1)2022– Georgia 2 (0) *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 August 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 July 2023

Saba Andreyevich Sazonov (Russian: Саба Андреевич Сазонов; Georgian: საბა საზონოვი; born 1 February 2002) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Italian Serie A club Empoli, on loan from Torino. Born in Russia, he plays for the Georgia national team internationally.

Early life

His mother Nino Nishnianidze is a former professional Georgian volleyball player from Samtredia. She moved to Saint Petersburg where she met her Russian husband. During his childhood, Sazonov moved to Georgia and then back to Russia, to feel more comfortable with both countries' language and culture.[2]

Club career

Sazonov made his debut in the Russian Premier League for FC Zenit Saint Petersburg on 16 May 2021 in a game against FC Tambov. He was substituted on for Magomed Ozdoyev in the 76th minute.[3]

In June 2021, he joined Dynamo Moscow on trial.[4] On 9 July 2021, after impressing on trial, he signed a three-year contract with Dynamo.[5]

On 31 August 2023, he signed for Serie A club Torino, becoming the third Georgian in the Serie A ahead the 2023–24 season.[6]

Having taken part in 13 league matches for Torino, Sazonov signed a year-long loan contract with Empoli on 30 August 2024.[7]

International career

In September 2022, Sazonov was called up to the Georgia national under-21 football team.[8] He was also called up to the Russia national under-21 football team for the same dates,[9] but chose to represent Georgia. He debuted with the senior Georgia national team in a friendly 3–0 loss to Morocco on 17 November 2022.[10]

Career statistics

Club

As of matches played on 17 August 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Zenit-2 St. Petersburg 2019–20 Russian Second League 6 0 – – – 6 0
2020–21 Russian Second League 18 3 – – – 18 3
Total 24 3 0 0 0 0 – 24 3
Zenit St. Petersburg 2020–21 Russian Premier League 1 0 0 0 0 0 – 1 0
Dynamo-2 Moscow 2021–22 Russian Second League 9 2 – – – 9 2
Dynamo Moscow 2021–22 Russian Premier League 6 0 0 0 – – 6 0
2022–23 Russian Premier League 24 1 6 0 – – 30 1
2023–24 Russian Premier League 4 0 1 0 – – 5 0
Total 34 1 7 0 0 0 – 41 1
Torino 2023–24 Serie A 12 0 0 0 – – 12 0
2024–25 Serie A 1 0 – – – 1 0
Total 13 0 0 0 0 0 – 13 0
Empoli (loan) 2024–25 Serie A 0 0 – – – 0 0
Career total 81 6 7 0 0 0 0 0 88 6

Honours

Zenit Saint Petersburg

References

  1. ^ "Saba Sazonov" (in Russian). FC Dynamo Moscow. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Саба Сазонов: "На отборе в "Газпром"-Академию был в майке сборной Бразилии. Меня так и внесли в список — "бразилец""" (in Russian). FC Zenit Saint Petersburg. 8 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Tambov v Zenit game report". Russian Premier League. 16 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Динамовцы уступили ЧФР в первом матче на "ВТБ тренировочном сборе" в Австрии" (in Russian). FC Dynamo Moscow. 26 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Саба Сазонов перешёл в "Динамо"" (in Russian). FC Dynamo Moscow. 9 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Saba Sazonov becomes third Georgian in Serie A with move to Torino". Agenda.ge. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  7. ^ "ოფიციალურად: საბა საზონოვი "ემპოლის" ფეხბურთელია". worldsport.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Динамовцы в национальных сборных" [Dynamo players in national teams] (in Russian). FC Dynamo Moscow. 19 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Тренерский штаб молодёжной команды объявил состав на сентябрьский сбор" (in Russian). Russian Football Union. 15 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  10. ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Morocco vs. Georgia". www.national-football-teams.com.
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Empoli FC – current squad