Sports newspaper names Giorgi Mamardashvili as best Georgian player of 2021-2022 season

Sports newspaper Sarbieli has named goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili as the best Georgian player of the 2021-2022 season in a poll of reporters.

Mamardashvili received 163 points in the vote involving 75 Georgian sports journalists, with Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in second with 153 points.

This prise is very important for me. Perhaps, I deserved it due to the fact that I got to the top league earlier than others. We [Georgia] have football players who deserve this prise and will receive it in the future.  […] Thanks to the journalists and the Sarbieli newspaper for such appreciation”, Mamardashvili said during the award ceremony.

• Georgian goalkeeper promoted from reserve to first team at Valencia

Signed by Spanish Valencia from Locomotive Tbilisi last year, the goalkeeper was promoted from the reserves of the club to its first team in September.

In March, the 21-year-old became the first goalkeeper from Georgia to be valued at €5 million by Transfermarkt, a reference website for player value from across the world.