Giorgi Mamardashvili sends Liverpool fans message after 'special' debut | OneFootball

The goalkeeper is the first Georgian player ever to represent Liverpool

Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili said becoming the “legendary” Reds’ first Georgian player was a “special moment” after making his debut against Preston on Sunday.

In a post on his Instagram account, he said: “Hello Reds. Special moment in my life, making my debut for Liverpool FC.

“I’m proud to be the first Georgian player to represent this legendary club. I know what this means for my family and for all the Georgian people.”

Thanking the club and its fans for their support, the Georgia international shot-stopper added: “This is just the beginning.”

A total of 22 players took to the pitch for Liverpool in their first pre-season outing, with debuts also handed to the likes of Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong.

Those two summer signings, from Bournemouth and Bayer Leverkusen respectively, were introduced as part of a full XI refresh at the interval by Slot.

The Dutch manager also took that opportunity to swap out Mamardashvili for fellow debutant Freddie Woodman, who joined the Reds this summer upon the expiration of his contract with Preston.

Mamardashvili is Liverpool’s first player from Georgia, and only the sixth player from his nation to feature for an English top-flight team. He follows Georgi Kinkladze, Temuri Ketsbaia, Mikheil Kavelashvili, Zurab Khizanishvili and Rati Aleksidze in that respect.