Giorgi Mamardashvili has explained why Liverpool’s coaching staff got it wrong during their Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea
Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match Manchester City vs Liverpool at Etihad Stadium, Manchester, United Kingdom on 04 April 2026 (Photo by Mark Cosgrove/News Images)
Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match Manchester City vs Liverpool at Etihad Stadium, Manchester, United Kingdom on 04 April 2026 (Photo by Mark Cosgrove/News Images)
Liverpool beat Chelsea 6-5 on penalties at Anfield on Wednesday night to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. The fourth-round tie finished 1-1 after 90 minutes.
Both goals came from the penalty spot in the first half. Morgan Rogers put Chelsea ahead in the 40th minute after Ryan Gravenberch fouled Moises Caicedo inside the area.
Wesley Fofana handled a Kostas Tsimikas corner, and Cody Gakpo equalised from the spot in the 43rd minute. Neither side scored again, and the tie went to a shootout.
The shootout needed sudden death. Tsimikas blazed over with the chance to win it for Liverpool, and Chelsea’s Valentin Barco hit the post. Gravenberch then had his kick saved by Mike Penders.
Giorgi Mamardashvili answered by saving from Emmanuel Emegha, who could have won it for Chelsea on his debut. Joe Gomez then scored Liverpool’s eighth kick, and Fofana sent Chelsea’s eighth into the Kop.
The Liverpool players ran to Mamardashvili at the final whistle.
Mamardashvili has since said the information he was given on Chelsea’s penalty takers was wrong.
“I had this paper as well, but everything was wrong!” he told ITV. He confirmed the notes did not help him at all.
The Georgian explained how he made the save.
“Before the shot I was looking at his [standing] leg, where he puts it down. I decided to go to my right side. I wanted to save more but sometimes one is enough.” It was the only one of Chelsea’s eight penalties he stopped.
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola praised his second-choice goalkeeper, who plays behind Alisson. Iraola pointed to Mamardashvili’s performance against Tottenham in the previous round.
Iraola said he told him before the shootout: “We need to save two.” Mamardashvili replied that Liverpool had to let someone miss.
Iraola added that every team prepares penalty research, that players change, and that the goalkeeper got close to many of the kicks he did not stop.
The quarter-final draw took place on Wednesday night. Liverpool will host Bournemouth, the club Iraola managed before joining the Reds.
Iraola said before the draw that Bournemouth was the one team he did not want to face.
All four quarter-finals will be played in the week commencing December 14.
🗣️ “I had this paper but everything was wrong” 😆
Giorgi Mamardashvili’s penalty notes weren’t very helpful but that didn’t stop the Georgian becoming Liverpool’s shootout hero 🇬🇪 https://t.co/ckU9TOJoY3
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 28, 2026
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Federico Chiesa in Liverpool FC warm up jacket
Federico Chiesa in Liverpool FC warm up jacket