Malkhaz Asatiani
Personal information
Date of birth (1981-08-04) 4 August 1981
Place of birth Kutaisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre-back, defensive midfielder, playmaker
Youth career
1997–1999 Torpedo Kutaisi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2003 Torpedo Kutaisi 76 (15)
2003–2010 Lokomotiv Moscow 125 (6)
2008–2009Dynamo Kyiv (loan) 11 (0)
Total 212 (21)
International career
1997–2003 Georgia U21 18 (2)
2001–2010 Georgia 42 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Malkhaz Asatiani (Georgian: მალხაზ ასათიანი; born 4 August 1981) is a Georgian former professional footballer who played as a defender.

Club career

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.

International career

For the National Team, 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.

Style of play

Asatiani started as an attacking midfielder but his displays at the back earned him a solid reputation as a central defender. Mostly playing as centre-back at his club, Asatiani was often used as a playmaker for the Georgia national team. His passing, technical skills and eye for decisive goals made him an extremely versatile player.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Torpedo Kutaisi 1999–2000 1330000133
2000–01 2350000235
2001–02 2510000251
2002–03 1560000156
Total 761500007615
Lokomotiv Moscow 2003 1010000101
2004 1911020221
2005 28321122426
2006 1402010170
2007 1410050191
2008 40100050
2009 1400000140
2010 1100000110
Total 1146612021409
Dynamo Kyiv (loan) 2008–09 502150121
Career total 195218225222824

Honours

Torpedo Kutaisi

Lokomotiv Moscow

Dynamo Kyiv

Malkhaz Asatiani at National-Football-Teams.com

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