Valencia’s final season is tough for Giorgi Mamardashvili. Following a £29 million agreement reached between the Reds and the La Liga team in August, the Georgia international will join Liverpool in the summer.
During Euro 2024, the 24-year-old was a standout performer for his nation. His efforts from the previous season also earned him a spot on the Yashin Trophy shortlist.
However, as Los Che continue to struggle, he has faced criticism at Valencia in recent weeks. On goal differential alone, they are in the relegation zone and currently sit in 18th place in La Liga.
When Ante Budimir of CA Osasuna (not pictured) scores his team’s third goal during the La Liga match between CA Osasuna and Valencia CF at Estadio El Sadar, Giorgi Mamardashvili of Valencia CF appears dejected.
It should come as no surprise that Mamardashvili’s performances in Spain have been questioned prior to his transfer to Liverpool, given that the team has the second-worst defense in the Spanish top division, having given up 44 goals.
Due to a leg injury that kept him out of four games at the beginning of the year, he has come under even more scrutiny since rejoining the team.
Although Valencia has only suffered two defeats since Mamardashvili returned to the team, those defeats came late last month when they lost 3-0 to Atletico Madrid and 7-1 to Barcelona at Camp Nou.
Even when defeated handily, there should be little shame in losing to two of Spain’s most formidable teams, especially Barcelona and Atletico, who are ranked first and second in La Liga.
Nevertheless, considering that Valencia led twice and that Umar Sadiq saved a late draw, a 3-3 draw away at mid-table Osasuna has not gone over very well.
In addition to failing to stop an Ante Budimir penalty, Mamardashvili has come under fire for not stopping both of Aimar Oroz’s goals. Oroz’s clumsy volley into the ground from the edge of the box will at least make him feel like he could have done better.
After the draw, coach Carlos Corberan was asked about the Georgian’s play. Although he declined to publicly criticize Mamardashvili, he appeared to imply in a cryptic manner that the goalkeeper for Liverpool had not been up to par.
“I don’t like to publicly evaluate individual performances,” he said. “We compensate for any performances below the usual level of our players with a lot of work.”
It would appear that Mamardashvili is not living up to the eye-catching performances of last season as Spanish media continues to criticize him.
But with Valencia enduring a dismal campaign and embroiled in a relegation battle, blame should not fall at the feet of the goalkeeper alone with it curious how his performances would be perceived if he had not already agreed to join Liverpool in the summer