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Giorgi Mamardashvili celebrates as Valencia beat Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday(Image: Diego Souto/Getty Images)

Denying Vinicius Jr from the penalty spot, making eight saves in total, collecting the MVP award and ultimately putting a serious dent in Real Madrid's La Liga title dreams - it was just a standard afternoon of football for Giorgi Mamardashvili ahead of his £29m summer transfer to Liverpool.

The first business agreed once Arne Slot was named head coach of Liverpool, Mamardashvili's arrival was secured from Spanish side Valencia.

At the age of 24 he is seven years into a senior career as a goalkeeper, four of those spent in La Liga, and last year was an integral member of the Georgian national side that went to the last-16 of their first-ever major tournament finals.



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But such blanket achievements come from the merit of performing week-in, week-out, and it just so happens that soon-to-be £29m arrival produced one of his greatest displays on Saturday afternoon.

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Valencia travelled to the Santiago Bernabeu to face Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu - a stadium they had not won at since 2008.

The visitors' placement four points above relegation danger stood in stark contrast to their opponents in second, possessing the opportunity to move equal on points with leaders Barcelona if victorious.

After only 13 minutes Kylian Mbappe was knocked down in the 18-yard box and was awarded a penalty.

Stepping up was regular taker Vinicius Jr, though the Brazilian's tame effort was kicked aside by the 6'4" man mountain between the sticks.

Mouctar Diakhaby then stunned Real by putting Valencia ahead and further animosity arose when Carlo Ancelotti's side saw a strike ruled out by VAR over an offside.

Vinicius would eventually beat Mamardashvili, levelling up at 1-1, though that was the only instance the goalkeeper suffered.

Real's 21 attempts resulted in nine on target, eight of which the Georgian was responsible for steering aside.

Highlights were a first-half fingertip push of the ball over the crossbar when Mbappe had unleashed a venomous shot from the edge of the area, plus a cat-like reflex action to keep Federico Valverde's close-range attempt out.

His contribution ensured that Valencia were in with a shout of a result at the unlikeliest of venues, and striker Hugo Duro made good of it when he added a second for the visiting team in the fifth minute of injury time.

Mamardashvili won La Liga's MVP award - and not the first time this campaign.

On Instagram himself he wrote: "Sin Palabras," which translates from Spanish to English as 'wordless'.

Carlos Corberan's side are now on 34 points for the season - seven ahead of the drop zone with eight matches remaining.

More Mamardashvili heroics will ensure their survival.

Meanwhile Real - a side that have beaten the Reds in two Champions League finals in the last seven years - are stranded three points off top spot having played an extra fixture.

Liverpool may only get a wry smile out of that fact but they can take greater excitement from the performance level of their incoming goalkeeper.

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That said, the better he plays the harder Slot's task is going to be to decide what to do with his options as 32-year-old Alisson is still very much top of his game and committed to the Anfield cause until 2027, whilst Caoimhin Kelleher has established himself as a deserved starter wherever the Irishman plays his football next season.