Khviča Kvaracheli and comrades are not the first footballers from Georgia to perform at the European Championship, but they are the first to represent the former Soviet republic as an independent state - and of course, history will be written.
There is a strong, historical connection between Georgia and the Euro. Perhaps unexpected for some, but Georgia was the backbone of the great and trophy-winning selections of the Soviet Union. As many as three Georgians were starters in winning the first European Championship in France in 1960 - a 23-year-old defender Givi Coheli, his peer on the wing Mihail Meshi and a year older midfielder Slava Metreveli, who scored the goal against SFR Yugoslavia in the final to tie the game. Meshi assisted in overtime Viktor Ponedeljnik brought gold to the USSR.
However, these are completely different times, and when on March 26 of this year independent Georgia beat Greece on penalties in the final of the League of Nations playoffs and qualified for a major competition for the first time, the celebration on the streets of Tbilisi and other cities lasted for several days.
The selection translated by the former defender of France Villa Sanjol it reached Germany by a "detour", for some it was lucky, taking advantage of the accessibility that UEFA offered to the national teams from the C League of Nations (Greece, and that at home, is the toughest opponent that Georgia had to beat), but they are far from " crusaders" strayed into the great competition.
This was also shown in Georgia's only preparatory match before the European Championship, against Montenegro in Gorica. Although the players of the Montenegrin team were already on vacation in their minds, and the guests were "nervous" before the historic appearance at the Euro, the final 1:3 still says something. Sanjol's team showed that it is strong, extremely solid - at least for the selections of our reputation, unpleasant in breaks, and dangerous in transition.
A solid team, plus one superstar - Hvič Kvaracheli, star of Napoli. Such a Georgia could be a tough nut to crack for rivals in Group F, and at least against Turkey on June 18 in Dortmund and the Czech Republic on June 22 in Hamburg, they will not be outsiders. Such a label may only fit her ahead of the final match in the group, against Portugal on June 26 in Gelsenkirchen.
The match with Montenegro showed how uncomfortable Hviča Kvaracheli is - but it also showed that Georgia is not only Hviča Kvaracheli.
Several players from serious European teams, with a serious role in them, are available to Willi Sanjol.
Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is one of Valencia's best players - so good that he is expected to move to an even bigger club soon. An experienced captain I push Kashi (36 years old) plays for Slovan Bratislava and forms the heart of the defense, and provides additional strength Lasha Dvali from Cypriot APOEL.
Zuriko Davitashvili from Bordeaux is a central figure in midfield, Giorgi Chakvetadze, ten from Watford, showed against Montenegro how unpleasant he is, and the champion of Austria with Štura, Otar Kiteishvili, that he is someone Sanjol can always rely on. He scored the second goal under Gorica.
Kvarachelia is, of course, the main support in the attack, but even he can't do everything by himself - Georges mikautadze scored the first goal for Montenegro, he plays for Metz and Ajax paid him 16 million euros before that, while the Karlsure striker I'll be Zivzivadze also mastered Milan Mijatović.
The strength, heart and class of Kvarachelia are the main assets of Georgia, the main disadvantage could be inexperience in big competitions.
Georgia and the Euro
It performs so far: debutant
Captain: I push Kashi
The first star: Hviča Kvaracheli.
EC matches: Turkey (June 18, Dortmund), Czech Republic (June 22, Hamburg), Portugal (June 26, Gelsenkirchen).
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