Cera was born in Legnago. During his club career, he played for Verona (1957–64), Cagliari (1964–73), and Cesena (1973–79). He made his Serie A debut with Verona, in a 2–0 away defeat to Milan on 4 May 1958. He later captained Cagliari to the Serie A title in 1970, the first and only league title in the club's history.