Liverpool man turns villain into hero in dramatic international moment | OneFootball

It’s not often you see a player go from villain to hero in the space of a few seconds – but Liverpool’s No.25 managed exactly that on international duty.

During Georgia’s 2-0 defeat to Spain in Elche, Giorgi Mamardashvili conceded a penalty after a clumsy challenge on Ferran Torres, but immediately redeemed himself by saving the resulting spot-kick to keep his side alive.

The match, as reported by rfef.es, saw Spain dominate throughout, but Mamardashvili’s stop was one of the standout moments on an otherwise difficult night for his country.

Liverpool goalkeeper’s reaction will please Arne Slot

Picture via @LFC on X

The Georgian’s instant response to his own mistake says everything about his mentality and it’s the kind of resilience Arne Slot will value deeply.

After Alisson Becker’s recent injury setback, Mamardashvili is set for an extended run between the sticks for us, with our head coach confirming that the Brazilian will be sidelined for “upcoming games”.

Those who watched the 25-year-old at Euro 2024 already know he’s no stranger to pressure moments.

He made 11 saves in Georgia’s draw against Czechia, a performance that saw him compared to Gianluigi Donnarumma by national assistant manager David Webb, who said: “He’s commanding. He can deal with pressure in the big moments.”

That attitude was on full display again here, turning a potentially costly error into a defining moment of confidence.

Mamardashvili showing signs of a long-term successor

Picture via rfef.es

For us, this couldn’t come at a better time. With Alisson out and Caoimhin Kelleher now at Brentford, Mamardashvili has a golden opportunity to cement his place as Liverpool’s next great goalkeeper.

The Georgian’s quick reaction and composure are traits we’ve seen before and if he can build on this, we may be watching the start of a new long-term No.1 at Anfield.

You can view Mamardashvili via @ViaplayFotboll on X:

You can watch Slot’s post Chelsea press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

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