Marko Livaja

Marko Livaja

Personal information
Date of birth	26 August 1993
Place of birth	Split, Croatia
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position	Striker / Winger
Club information
Current team	Empoli (on loan from Rubin Kazan)
Number	39
Youth career
2002–2005	NK GOŠK Kaštel Gomilica
2005–2008	Omladinac Vranjic
2008	Dinamo Zagreb
2008–2010	Hajduk Split
2011–2012	Internazionale
2011	→ Cesena (loan)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2011–2013	Internazionale	6	(0)
2011	→ Lugano (loan)	0	(0)
2011–2012	→ Cesena (loan)	3	(0)
2013–2014	Atalanta	31	(4)
2014–	Rubin Kazan	11	(0)
2015–	→ Empoli (loan)	14	(1)
National team^‡
2008	Croatia U15	4	(4)
2009	Croatia U16	7	(6)
2008–2010	Croatia U17	20	(7)
2010	Croatia U18	4	(1)
2011–2012	Croatia U19	7	(2)
2012–2013	Croatia U20	7	(1)
2013–2014	Croatia U21	5	(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 November 2015. † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 October 2014

Marko Livaja (born 26 August 1993) is a Croatian footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A side Empoli on loan from the Russian Football Premier League club Rubin Kazan.^[1]

Livaja began his professional career with Internazionale in 2011, having played in the youth academies of various teams in Croatia and Italy. Unable to fully break into the Inter team, he spent a short period of time on loan to Lugano, and the first six months of the 2011–12 season on loan to Cesena (who co-owned Livaja along with Internazionale.) In January 2013, after making six league appearances for Internazionale, last club Atalanta bought out Cesena's stake in Livaja, and he joined their senior ranks.

Livaja has played for Croatia at every level from the under-15s to the under-21s, but is yet to make his full international debut.

Club career

Youth career

Livaja began his career at lower-tier Croatian sides GOŠK Kaštel Gomilica and NK Omladinac Vranjic, before getting a call to the Dinamo Zagreb Academy in the summer of 2008, however, before he was registered for Dinamo, he received a call from their rivals, his hometown club Hajduk Split Academy^[2] and moved there. At the beginning of 2010, he was promoted to the full Hajduk team.^[3] Later that year, he was sold to F.C. Internazionale Milano. In 2011, he was loaned out to Swiss side FC Lugano.^[4]

Inter Milan

Due to non-EU signing quota, Livaja at first joined Cesena in summer 2011 in definitive deal from Hajduk Split for €250,000^[5] and in January 2012 returned to Inter (Cesena "sold" Livaja to Inter in co-ownership deal for €2.25M and signed half of Thomas Pedrabissi for €1M in January 2012^[6]) Livaja played for Cesena in both first team and in youth team. He made his Serie A debut for Cesena on October 2011 against ACF Fiorentina.

After returned to Inter in January 2012, Livaja was a member of F.C. Internazionale Milano Primavera, winning 2011–12 NextGen series. After Andrea Stramaccioni was appointed as first team coach, Livaja received his first first-team call-up against Genoa on 1 April 2012 as an unused substitute. In 2012/2013 season he made his first appearance in the opening season match against Delfino Pescara 1936. Livaja played his first game as a team starter against Roma in January 2013. He appeared in total of six Serie A games during the first half of the season, but without scoring a goal. Livaja got more playing time in European games, as he was Andrea Stramaccioni`s first choice striker for 2012–13 UEFA Europa League group matches against Rubin Kazan, FK Partizan and Neftchi Baku. He scored his first goal for Inter Milan against Rubin Kazan on 20 September 2012. After the group stage Inter finished second behind Rubin Kazan, with Livaja as Inter's top scorer with 4 goals in 6 group matches. Due to fierce competition in Inter forward, that included Milito, Cassano and Palacio, in January Livaja opted for loan where he could get more playing time and score more goals.^[7] On 31 January, it was announced that he will be sold to Serie A team Atalanta.^[8]

Atalanta

On 31 January 2013 Livaja was sent to Atalanta B.C., with Inter retained another half of the registration rights.^[9] Inter paid €1.5 million to acquire Livaja outright from Cesena^[10] but re-sold the 50% card to Atalanta for €2.5 million,^[11] as part of Ezequiel Schelotto's deal for €6 million.^[11] Livaja made his debut for the new club on 10 February against Catania Calcio. He scored his first two goals for Atalanta B.C. on Matchday 26 against A.S. Roma.^[12] In April he remained off the squad list for the match against U.C. Sampdoria. The young striker remained out for disciplinary reasons, as explained in the press conference by the team coach Stefano Colantuono.^[13] He played his first game against his owner-club F.C. Internazionale Milano on 7 April, coming on as a second half substitute. He did not score but he did make an impact on the game, as he first provided an assist for Bonaventura who equalized on 1–1 and then earned an penalty kick for his team in Atalanta 3–4 win.^[14] In April, Livaja was given Atalanta`s "Man of the Month" award for February 2013, an award given by the club fans.^[15][16] On 7 May, before the Juventus F.C. match, Livaja was once again expelled from the squad due to breach of discipline, this time for confronting with his teammate Ivan Radovanović.^[17][18]

Rubin Kazan

On 15 May 2014 Livaja signed for Rubin Kazan. Russian league club paid for the young striker as much as 6 million euros, and Livaja signed a contract for five years.^[19]

International career

Internationally, Livaja scored seven goals in 20 appearances for the Croatia national under-17 side, prompting trainer Ivan Gudelj to promote him to the under-18 squad. Since then, he has made one appearance, scoring one goal. He currently plays for Croatia U19. He made his debut 10.11.2011 in a match against Finland U19. Livaja made his debut for the Croatia U19 side in a match against Czech Republic on 4.10.2011. He replaced Mario Jelavić in the 62nd minute. He scored his first two goals in the match and he brought Croatia the win. The final result was 4–2 for Croatia. He also played for Croatia U19 against Moldova U19 and Netherlands U19.

Honours

• NextGen series: 2012 (Inter Primavera)
• Campionato Nazionale Primavera: 2012 (Inter Primavera)

References

1. "Presi Cosic e Livaja". Empoli F.C. 31 August 2015.
2. "Zanio se: Ljubio Dinamov dres, a sad igra za Hajduk". 24 Satae (in Croatian). 28 March 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
3. "Reja priključio najboljeg kadeta!". hajduk.hr. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
4. "Succès du Servette FC et du SC Kriens, nul du FC Lugano". Swiss Football League (in French). 8 February 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
5. AC Cesena SpA Report and Accounts on 30 June 2012 (Italian)
6. "FC Internazionale Milano SpA" Report and Accounts on 30 June 2012 (Italian)
7. "Livaja happy to leave Inter on loan deal". goal.com. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
8. "Marko Livaja sljedećih godinu i pol na posudbi u Atalanti". Sportnet. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
9. "Livaja sljedećih godinu i pol na posudbi u Atalanti". Retrieved 31 January 2013.
10. AC Cesena SpA bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2013 (Italian)
11. FC Internazionale SpA bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2013 (Italian)
12. "Livaja dvostruki strijelac u porazu Atalante". Retrieved 24 February 2013.
13. "Livaja izbačen iz momčadi, ne konkurira za utakmicu". Večernji list. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
14. "Atalanta šokirala Inter, Livaja izborio penal i asistirao". DalmacijaNews. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
15. "MARKO LIVAJA DOMANI ALL'ATALANTA STORE DI ORIOCENTER". atalanta.it. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
16. "Najbolji igrač Atalante u veljači". Sportske Novosti. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
17. "COMUNICATO DAL CLUB". Retrieved 9 May 2013.
18. "Radovanović: Livaja mi bio kao brat (in Serbian)". b92. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
19. "Livaja potpisao za Rubin Kazan". dalmacijanews. Retrieved 15 May 2014.

External links

• Marko Livaja profile at Soccerway
• Marko Livaja at the Croatian Football Federation website (Croatian)