| Marco Sau | |
| Birth Date: | 3 November 1987 |
| Birth Place: | Sorgono, Italy |
| Height: | 1.69 m |
| Position: | Forward |
| Youthyears1: | 1996–2005 |
| Youthclubs1: | Tonara ASD |
| Youthyears2: | 2005–2007 |
| Youthclubs2: | Cagliari |
| Years1: | 2007–2018 |
| Caps1: | 194 |
| Goals1: | 45 |
| Clubs1: | Cagliari |
| Years2: | 2007–2008 |
| Caps2: | 31 |
| Goals2: | 10 |
| Clubs2: | → Manfredonia (loan) |
| Years3: | 2008–2009 |
| Caps3: | 18 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Clubs3: | → AlbinoLeffe (loan) |
| Years4: | 2009–2010 |
| Caps4: | 30 |
| Goals4: | 4 |
| Clubs4: | → Lecco (loan) |
| Years5: | 2010–2011 |
| Caps5: | 33 |
| Goals5: | 20 |
| Clubs5: | → Foggia (loan) |
| Years6: | 2011–2012 |
| Caps6: | 36 |
| Goals6: | 21 |
| Clubs6: | → Juve Stabia (loan) |
| Years7: | 2019 |
| Caps7: | 5 |
| Goals7: | 0 |
| Clubs7: | Sampdoria |
| Years8: | 2019–2022 |
| Caps8: | 67 |
| Goals8: | 18 |
| Clubs8: | Benevento |
| Years9: | 2023–2024 |
| Caps9: | 16 |
| Goals9: | 1 |
| Clubs9: | Feralpisalò |
| Nationalyears1: | 2013 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalteam1: | Italy |
| Club-Update: | 10 June 2024 |
Marco Sau (pronounced as /it/, pronounced as /sc/; born 3 November 1987) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a striker.
Sau has been nicknamed Pattolino (Duckling) since childhood. His idol growing up was the striker Gianfranco Zola, also from his native Province of Nuoro in Sardinia.[1]
While visiting an uncle in Scotland in his early teens, Sau played in the youth ranks of Livingston and a local team in Gourock.
Sau turned professional at Cagliari in 2007. On 25 June 2008 he was signed by AlbinoLeffe.[2] On 15 July 2009, he was loaned to Lecco.[3]
In August 2010 Sau was acquired by Foggia of Lega Pro Prima Divisione by head coach Zdenek Zeman in co-ownership deals, for a peppercorn of €500,[4] scoring 20 league goals that season. In June 2011 Foggia acquired Sau and Salvatore Burrai outright for a total of €207,000 by a closed tender mediated by Lega Serie A.[4] [5] However they were returned to Cagliari on 31 August 2011 for the same total price (Burrai for free and Sau for €207,000).[6] [7] Foggia later brought the transfer to court to claim the transfer documents were falsified.[8]
Sau was re-acquired by Cagliari on 31 August 2011 on a two-year contract.[7] He played at S.S. Juve Stabia in 2011–12 Serie B season,[9] scoring 21 goals. This form allowed him into the Cagliari first team for 2012–13.
Sau scored both of Cagliari's goals in a 2–2 draw against Inter on 18 November 2012.[10]
On 29 August 2014, Sau renewed his contract with Cagliari until 2017.[11]
On 31 January 2019, Sau signed with Sampdoria after seven years at Cagliari.[12] After five goalless substitute appearances, he signed a two-year contract at Serie B's Benevento on 22 July.[13] He scored a hat-trick on 29 December in a 4–0 home win over Ascoli,[14] and the following 29 June he came off the bench to score the only goal against his former club Juve Stabia to win promotion to Serie A as champions with seven games left.[15]
In February 2023, Sau signed for Serie C Group A club Feralpisalò on a contract until the end of the season with the option for a further year.[16]
Sau made his international debut on 31 May 2013, coming on as a 49th-minute substitute against San Marino in a friendly 4–0 win at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara in Bologna.[17]
Cagliari
Benevento