| Saba Sazonov | |
| Full Name: | Saba Andreyevich Sazonov |
| Birth Date: | 1 February 2002 |
| Birth Place: | Saint Petersburg, Russia |
| Height: | 1.94 m[1] |
| Position: | Centre-back |
| Currentclub: | Empoli (on loan from Torino) |
| Clubnumber: | 15 |
| Youthyears1: | 2008–2020 |
| Youthclubs1: | Zenit Saint Petersburg |
| Years1: | 2019–2021 |
| Clubs1: | Zenit-2 Saint Petersburg |
| Caps1: | 24 |
| Goals1: | 3 |
| Years2: | 2021 |
| Clubs2: | Zenit Saint Petersburg |
| Caps2: | 1 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2021–2023 |
| Clubs3: | Dynamo Moscow |
| Caps3: | 34 |
| Goals3: | 1 |
| Years4: | 2021–2022 |
| Clubs4: | → Dynamo-2 Moscow |
| Caps4: | 9 |
| Goals4: | 2 |
| Years5: | 2023– |
| Clubs5: | Torino |
| Caps5: | 13 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Years6: | 2024– |
| Clubs6: | → Empoli (loan) |
| Caps6: | 0 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2022– |
| Nationalteam1: | Georgia U21 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 7 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2022– |
| Nationalteam2: | Georgia |
| Nationalcaps2: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 30 August 2024 |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 1 July 2023 |
Saba Andreyevich Sazonov (ru|Саба Андреевич Сазонов; Georgian: საბა საზონოვი; born 1 February 2002) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club Empoli, on loan from Torino. Born in Russia, he plays for the Georgia national team internationally.
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]
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]
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]
| 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 | |||
Zenit Saint Petersburg