🏟️🏟️DEVASTATING NEWS: Terrible news has been announced for Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Giorgi Mamardashvili was one of the standout performers at Euro 2024 last summer, earning him a high-profile move to Liverpool and a Yachine Trophy nomination. However, his fortunes have since taken a sharp decline.

While the club he’s set to join could be Premier League champions by the time he arrives, his current team, Valencia, are in a dire situation. Sitting second from bottom in La Liga, Valencia suffered a humiliating 7-1 defeat to Barcelona on Sunday. For Mamardashvili, it was a particularly tough night, especially on Barcelona’s third goal. Similar to Robert Sánchez’s mistake against Manchester City, the 24-year-old rushed out of his penalty area, only to leave himself stranded as Raphinha latched onto a loose ball, rounded him, and scored into an empty net.

Despite conceding seven goals at Camp Nou, it’s worth noting that this was the only goal where Mamardashvili could be directly blamed for an error.

How has Mamardashvili performed this season?

With Alisson Becker now 32 and increasingly prone to injuries, Liverpool’s decision to sign Mamardashvili five months ago seemed understandable. However, the rise in form of Caoimhin Kelleher raises questions about whether the Georgian is a true upgrade on the Irish goalkeeper. Kelleher is expected to leave Liverpool in the summer to pursue regular first-team football, which will place even greater scrutiny on Mamardashvili when he arrives at Anfield.

Statistically, Mamardashvili’s performances haven’t been disastrous. Before this weekend, he had conceded 23 goals in 16 La Liga matches, a respectable figure considering he’s playing in one of the weakest Valencia sides in nearly four decades. Yet, some concerning stats emerge when looking deeper. Valencia have the worst record in La Liga for goals conceded per shot faced (0.14) and share the worst average for goals conceded per shot on target (0.41), according to FBref.

Additionally, Mamardashvili’s save percentage of 66.7% over the past 12 months ranks in the bottom 24% of goalkeepers across Europe’s top five leagues. Such numbers could unsettle Liverpool fans, especially in light of his mistake against Barcelona.

What can Liverpool expect?

The hope is that Liverpool will see the version of Mamardashvili who made 11 saves in a single Euro 2024 match, rather than the one who struggled in Valencia’s catastrophic performance at Camp Nou. While he hasn’t been helped by the dismal quality of his current team, his occasional errors and less-than-impressive underlying stats may give Reds supporters cause for concern.

As Liverpool prepare for a potential transition in their goalkeeping department, all eyes will be on whether Mamardashvili can rise to the challenge and justify the faith the club has shown in him.