Malkhaz Asatiani

Malkhaz Asatiani

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Personal information
Full name	Malkhaz Asatiani
Date of birth	(1981-08-04) 4 August 1981
Place of birth	Kutaisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union
Height
Position(s)	Centre back / Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1997-1999	Torpedo Kutaisi
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1999-2003	Torpedo Kutaisi	76	(15)
2003-2010	Lokomotiv Moscow	125	(6)
2008-2009	→ Dynamo Kyiv (loan)	11	(0)
International career‡
1997-2003	Georgia U21	18	(2)
2001-2010	Georgia	42	(4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 November 2010 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 December 2008

Malkhaz Asatiani (Georgian: მალხაზ ასათიანი; born 4 August 1981 in Kutaisi) is a retired Georgian football defender who last recently played for Lokomotiv Moscow. He started as an attacking midfielder but his displays at the back earned him a solid reputation as a central defender. Mostly playing as center-back at his club, Asatiani is often used as a playmaker for the national team. His passing, technical skills and eye for decisive goals make him an extremely versatile player.

Career

Club

His club career started in Torpedo Kutaisi. During his stay of three and a half years the team won the Georgian league title three years in a row. He then earned a transfer to Russian team Lokomotiv Moscow. He plays mostly as a defender at the club and mostly as a midfielder in the national team.

On 3 December. Asatiani told the Russian newspaper, Sport-Express, that he will be leaving Lokomotiv in the end of 2010 on a free transfer. On 21 December such departure was made official.

In August 2008, Asatiani was bought on a half year loan by Dynamo Kyiv.

National

For the NT, Malkhaz has played 18 international matches and scored 4 goals since his debut in 2001. One of the goals came against rivals Russia in a Euro 2004 qualifying match, something for which Asatiani received praise. He also scored important goals in the 2006 World Cup qualifying phase.

Statistics

Club	Season	League		Cup		Eurocups		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
FC Torpedo Kutaisi	1999/2000	13	3	0	0	0	0	13	3
	2000/2001	23	5	0	0	0	0	23	5
	2001/2002	25	1	0	0	0	0	25	1
	2002/2003	15	6	0	0	0	0	15	6
	Total	76	15	0	0	0	0	76	15
Lokomotiv Moscow	2003	10	1	0	0	0	0	10	1
	2004	19	1	1	0	2	0	22	1
	2005	28	3	2	1	12	2	42	6
	2006	14	0	2	0	1	0	17	0
	2007	14	1	0	0	5	0	19	1
	2008	4	0	1	0	0	0	5	0
	Total	89	6	6	1	20	2	115	9
FC Dinamo Kiev	2008/2009	5	0	2	1	5	0	12	1
	Total	5	0	2	1	5	0	12	1
Lokomotiv Moscow	2009	14	0	0	0	0	0	14	0
	2010	11	0	0	0	0	0	11	0
	Total	25	0	0	0	0	0	25	0
Career total		195	21	8	2	25	2	228	24

Honours

Torpedo Kutaisi

• Georgian League (3): 1999–2000, 2000-01, 2001-02
• Georgian Cup (1): 2000-01

Lokomotiv Moscow

• Russian League (1): 2004
• Russian Cup (1): 2006-07
• Russian Super Cup (2): 2003, 2005
• Commonwealth of Independent States Cup (1): 2005

Dynamo Kyiv

• Ukrainian League (1): 2008-09

External links

Malkhaz Asatiani at National-Football-Teams.com