FC Sioni Bolnisi

• Erovnuli Liga

Winners (1): 2005–06

• Erovnuli Liga 2

Winners (2): 1994–95 East , 2021

The football club in Bolnisi was founded in 1936. For years they took part in Georgian domestic competitions under the name Madneuli. While being in the second division in early 1990s, the team emerged among the candidates challenging for the top league.

For the first time Sioni participated in Umaglesi Liga in the 1995/96 season and after the initial several years made a significant progress towards joining ambitious clubs vying for titles.

In 2002 they reached the Cup final, although failed to prevail over Dinamo Tbilisi.[1]

In the 2003/04 season, Sioni and FC WIT Georgia shared the first position in the league, and the title was decided in a championship play-off. WIT won the game 2–0, but the crowd violence during the match led UEFA to ban Sioni from the UEFA Cup participation.[2]

The third attempt two years later turned out successful. The club set a remarkable unbeaten home record by winning 14 games out of 15 and ended the season five points clear of a main rival.[3] Kakha Tskhadadze became Manager of the Year, while striker Koka Mikuchadze, who scored 19 goals, was named in the symbolic team of the season. Sioni represented Georgia in the UEFA Champions League 2006-07, where they defeated FK Baku from Azerbaijan in the first qualifying round,[4] but were eliminated by Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia in the second stage, losing 2–0 both home and away.[5]

Old Logo

As champions, in January 2007 Sioni participated in CIS Cup in Moscow where they defeated two opponents out of three, although failed to qualify for play-offs due to disadvantage in goal difference.[6]

Sioni achieved another league success in 2013/14. Under Vladimir Burduli the club, strengthened by some experienced players, including former national team members Valeri Abramidze and Revaz Kemoklidze, won the bronze medals. However, Sioni's subsequent performance was poor, which saw the team in 2016 relegated to Liga 2 for the first time in the last two decades.

As of 2020, in all-time table based on performance in Erovnuli Liga Sioni are on the 7th place.[7]

Following a two-year tenure in the second division Sioni gained another promotion in 2021. The team topped the league from the very beginning and, although slipped up in midseason which resulted in the sacking of the manager, eventually they defeated Gagra in the championship contest.[8]

European cup

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away
2003–04	UEFA Cup	QR	FK Púchov	0–3	0–3
2006–07	UEFA Champions League	1Q	Baku FC	2–0	0–1
		2Q	PFC Levski Sofia	0–2	0–2
2014–15	UEFA Europa League	1Q	Flamurtari	2–3	2–1

As of 7 August 2021[9]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 2 DF  GEO Zurab Japiashvili 3 DF  GEO Guram Adamadze 4 DF  GEO Lasha Ugrekhelidze 5 DF  GEO Archil Tvildiani 8 MF  GEO Nika Khorkheli 9 MF  AZE Orkhan Aliyev 10 FW  GEO Jaba Ugulava 11 FW  GEO Data Sitchinava 12 GK  GEO Levan Isiani 14 MF  GEO Giorgi Koripadze 15 MF  RUS Georgy Berezov 18 MF  GEO Nika Ghambarashvili

No. Pos. Nation Player 19 MF  GEO Beka Gabiskiria 20 MF  GEO Tornike Gorgiashvili 22 MF  GEO Luka Khorkheli 23 MF  GEO Lasha Kochladze 24 MF  GEO Beka Nikolashvili 26 DF  GEO Varlam Kilasonia 28 DF  RUS Giorgi Chelebadze 30 GK  GEO Konstantine Sepiashvili 31 GK  GEO Giorgi Ugrekhelidze 32 GK  GEO Guram Kharaishvili 34 FW  GEO Toma Tabatadze (on loan) 38 MF  GEO Giorgi Kakhelishvili

Rich Metals Group, engaged in mining activities near Bolnisi, signed a first sponsorship contract with Sioni in 2016.[10]

While Sioni is a Georgian equivalent of Zion, the football club is named after Bolnisi Sioni, the fifth century cathedral located near the current municipal centre.

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