Giorgi Mamardashvili: DEEP DIVE

by Ewan Reid

Following Alisson’s injury against Galatasaray, Liverpool boss Arne Slot has confirmed the Brazilian shot stopper is unlikely to return until after the November international week, confirming fans’ worries over a sustained absence for the first-choice goalkeeper.

Fans have been no stranger to seeing a deputy step up to cover for the injury-burdened Alisson over the past few seasons. Caoimhin Kelleher has been the most notable example, who permanently wrote himself into Liverpool folklore with his penalty heroics against Chelsea in the 2021/22 Carabao Cup final.

However, with Kelleher’s departure to Brentford in the summer transfer window, the responsibility now lies in the more-than-capable gloves of Giorgi Mamardashvili. But following his €30m transfer to Merseyside in the 24/25 summer window and subsequent loan back to Valencia, supporters will be keen to see more of the Georgian giant with his inclusion in this season’s plans.

Arne Slot has expressed his confidence in the goalkeeper’s abilities ahead of his expected Premier League debut against Chelsea, stating: “I think we've seen against Southampton how well he's adjusted. We knew that we were bringing in a very good goalkeeper.”

With Mamardashvili set to appear in what should prove to be an intense match at Stamford Bridge this weekend, let’s take a look at Mamardashvili’s journey to Anfield, and the type of player fans can expect to see more of.

Early Years

Mamardashvili’s footballing origins are very much rooted in his native Georgia. Giorgi didn’t need much in the way of inspiration at a young age, his father, Davit Mamardashvili, had already paved the way for him, playing as a goalkeeper for several Georgian clubs before transitioning into coaching post-retirement.

Born in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, a city steeped with a rich footballing history, home to a number of clubs such as FC Locomotive Tbilisi and FC Dinamo Tbilisi, Mamardashvili had options during the dawn of his career, but it was FC Dinamo Tbilisi who Giorgi joined in 2012 aged 12, following a two-year spell at Gagra.

He progressed through Tbilisi’s academy and after six years in the setup, the goalkeeper joined second division side Rustavi on loan, where he made his senior debut aged 18.

Although Mamardashvili became an integral part of the side, making 28 appearances, the club couldn’t avoid relegation in the 2019 season despite the goalkeeper’s best efforts, finishing in eighth place and losing the relegation playoffs against Telavi.

However, it wasn’t until the second loan spell of his career that he started to make a name for himself. After joining Locomotive Tbilisi for the 2020/21 campaign, Giorgi shone on the European stage, impressing with his performances in the club’s UEFA Europa League campaign. 

The Georgian was a stalwart in a pair of consecutive 2-1 victories in the first and second qualifying rounds, but it wasn’t until a visit to LaLiga side Granada, the keeper started to make waves in the European space. The match resulted in a 2-0 victory for the Spanish club, but Giorgi was catching the eye of several Spanish scouts and interest started to build. 

The goalkeeper retained his form for the remainder of the season and his performances earned him the Goalkeeper of the Year award from the Georgian FA.

He was also named on UEFA’s “50 for the future” list in 2021, accompanied on the list by some familiar names in Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Florian Wirtz.

Valencia

 On 7 June 2021, LaLiga sleeping giants Valencia CF confirmed the signing of Mamardashvili on an initial one-year loan deal with an option to buy.

Although he was initially assigned to the reserve squad ahead of the 2021/22 season, Giorgi was given a chance to impress during pre-season by manager at the time, Jose Bordalas.

After a strong preseason, he earned himself the starting position for Valencia’s season opener against Getafe CF at just 20 years old, a game in which he managed to keep a clean sheet in a narrow 1-0 victory.

It didn’t take long for Mamardashvilli to settle on the Eastern coast of Spain and Valencia were quick to confirm the permanent signing of the goalkeeper on 31st December 2021 on a three-year deal, with the option for an additional year. 

Mamardashvili made a further 17 league matches in his inaugural season keeping a total of eight clean sheets, catching the attention of Spanish media by recording a remarkable 560 minutes without conceding a goal.

Over the next few seasons, he forged a reputation as a shining star in a turbulent few years for Los Che. Under the ownership of Paul Lim and the club suffering from poor management and negligence, he proved his resilience building upon a solid first season to define himself as one of the hottest goalkeeping prospects in the world.

During the 2022/23 LaLiga season, he played every match, receiving praise for his command of his area and shot stopping. The following season, he reached new heights, breaking Valencia’s record of 59 consecutive league starts, previously held by Neto. He also surpassed Neto’s clean sheet record of 11, finishing the campaign with 13 and earning himself the LaLiga golden glove.

In such bleak times for Los Che, Mamardashvili become a beacon of hope. He helped guide the side to a ninth-placefinish in LaLiga, a drastic improvement on the previous season in which they scraped a sixteenth-place finish. With rumoured interest from European giants starting to swirl, he headed for Euro 2024 with his future at the Mestalla draped in uncertainty. But there was one thing to be certain of, and that was that he was leaving Valencia as an icon, a symbol of resilience in trying times.

Euro 2024

 After impressing in Spain, it was time to make the step up for Mamardashvili, goalkeeping for Georgia at Euro 2024 in their first-ever appearance at a major international tournament.

It was a tough start to the tournament for Georgia, a 3-1 loss against Türkiye had many affirming their beliefs that the Georgians were set for an early exit.

Their next match promised to be another tricky task, taking on Czechia. However, Mamardashvili made a ridiculously impressive 11 saves, securing a 1-1 draw for Georgia and earning himself the Player of the Match award and international praise. 

Their biggest opponent yet was on the cards in their final group match, taking on Portugal, captained by Cristiano Ronaldo. The task at hand seemed almost impossible, a win would seem them with a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages. Miraculously, Gio stood tall once again. He produced a shutout in a 2-0 victory for Jvarosnebi etching one of the biggest ever upsets into the tournament’s history and Georgian legacy forever. He finished the group stages with 20 saves – the highest of any goalkeeper.

Their luck ran out in the last 16, with a 4-1 loss to eventual winners Spain but for Georgia, history had been made. Mamardashvili at the heart of it all.

Liverpool

 After an abundance of interest from top European clubs, it was Liverpool that secured the signing of the Georgian giant. A deal was on the cards which would have seen him sign for Bayern Munich, but according to the goalkeeper speaking to Geo Team (reported by Fabrizio Romano) last summer, Bayern “refused to pay €35 million.” 

On 27 August 2024, Liverpool officially confirmed the signing from Valencia in a deal worth around €30 million. The agreement contained a delayed arrival, Mamardashvili agreed to remain at Valencia for the 2024/25 season with Alisson Becker still the preferred choice in net, with Caoimhin Kelleher standing by to deputise.

Although he failed to reach the same heights of  2023/24, the 2024/25 season was still successful for Mamardashvili. In comparison, Mamardashvili and Alisson both recorded an average of 2.4 saves per 90 minutes during their respective 24/25 league campaigns.

Alisson however, proved his ability and experience with a 73.44% save percentage compared to Mamardashvili’s 57.3%, demonstrating there is still work to be done for the Georgian, but the signs are promising.

Playing Style

 Standing at a staggering 1.97m tall, Gio is the epitome of the modern goalkeeper. He demonstrates command of his area, with the ability to claim crosses and dominate ariel duels with assurance. He is intelligent and reads the game well, which viewers of the Southampton match would have seen in glimpses. 

The goalkeeper does not come without his criticisms, and he has been questioned at times in the past over his decision-making with the ball at his feet, especially while being closed down by an attacker.

However, this arguable weakness in his game can come naturally for a young goalkeeper and remains coachable while he works to improve his game learning from one of the best, in Alisson.

As he prepares for his Premier League debut, fans can relax about the absence of Alisson. Mamardashvili has experienced a tremendous career trajectory so far and he has all of the capabilities to become Liverpool’s next great number one.