Liverpool new boy leaps into CROWD after DRAMATIC match

It took some time for Liverpool to make the first signing of the Arne Slot era, but that signing finally happened in August.

Slot’s first recruit was maybe a surprise in some ways, given that it was goalkeeper, with Alisson already a crucial part of the first team. The Brazilian was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia this summer, although decided to stay, and has expressed his happiness at working under the new boss so far.

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Nevertheless, Liverpool were impressed by what they saw of Giorgi Mamardashvili at Euro 2024, with the shot-stopper producing some stunning saves as Georgia stunned the continent, beating Portugal to reach the last 16 in their first ever international tournament.

The 23-year-old made his debut for Georgia in 2021, the year he moved from Dinamo Tbilisi to Spanish club Valencia, and has since picked up more than 20 international caps.

Mamardashvili agreed a deal to join Liverpool this summer, celebrating that with a four-letter response, although he will remain with Valencia until the end of the current season.

Off to a great start

Georgia’s qualification for the Euros thanks to a play-off win over Greece denied Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas a place at the tournament, but was a fairytale story for the former Soviet nation.

The Caucasus country reached those play-offs as a result of their performance in the previous edition of the Nations League, so it’s understandable that they were taking the competition seriously when it returned again this week.

Georgia hosted Czech Republic in their opening game in Tbilisi, in a Nations League group that also contains Ukraine and Albania. The group winners will have a great chance of going into the play-offs for a place at the 2026 World Cup.

Mamardashvili’s nation wouldn’t necessarily be favourites to win the group, but they got off to a fantastic start - after the goalkeeper made a key early save, Georgia impressively triumphed 4-1.

That prompted huge celebrations inside the stadium - celebrations that Mamardashvili joined by climbing into the crowd, holding a scarf aloft with supporters and shouting into a megaphone.

They’re the sort of scenes that Liverpool fans hope they’ll see some day, after great victories at Anfield.