When a team spends on a goalkeeper what it would spend on a star striker, expectations undoubtedly rise. In the clouds. If Kepa Arrizabalaga told him about the nightmare that he was going to live at Chelsea, perhaps the Basque goalkeeper would have considered remaining at Athletic Bilbao after failing to establish himself in the premier league. The high cost of his transfer may have weighed heavily in not reaching the expected level after almost four seasons. Here we review 5 unfortunate episodes of Kepa at Chelsea:
THE CARABAO TO THE CLOUDS
We start with the most recent. Kepa had the chance to prolong the penalty shootout of the Carabao Cup final. Before it was his turn, Liverpool had scored 11 maximum penalties, while Chelsea 10 evoking the recent Europa League final between Villarreal and United that David De Gea decided with your mistake. In this case, the Basque goalkeeper fired a shot that was a sign of American football, going high up to the delight of the Reds fans.
REFUSAL TO BE REPLACED
On February 24, 2019, it may be the origin of Kepa’s ills at Chelsea. That day in another Carabao Cup final, against Manchester City, his coach Maurizio Sarri wanted to replace him before the decisive penalty shootout. He thought that Kepa was touched and ordered Willy Caballero to prepare to enter. With everything ready for the incursion of the Argentine goalkeeper, the goalkeeper refused to be substituted, staying for the penalty shootout and losing the final against Guardiola’s team without stopping a single penalty.
FINE OF 225,000 EUROS
That payment was the one that Kepa had to make for his refusal to be substituted in the match against Manchester City. The player was left without receiving the equivalent of a week of his salary and this money was donated to the Club Foundation, which develops many social initiatives related to employment, education, crime reduction, juvenile delinquency and marginalization Social. Kepa, without eating or drinking it, was a hero to the community.
SHOWDOWN WITH LAMPARD
The legendary Chelsea midfielder took the reins of the club and immediately doubted the abilities of a Kepa who ended up losing the starting job at the hands of Willy Caballero during the 2019-20 season. There was an exchange of reproaches between the two that would end with the Basque goalkeeper on the bench and also off the lists of Luis Enrique, who has not counted on him for a long time either. “It’s a choice because of his recent form. We’ve been without a clean sheet for a long time,” said the coach.
MENDY CLOSED HIS PASS
In the 2020-21 season, Lampard wanted to give Kepa a second chance by giving him the starting job at the start of the season. After a grotesque mistake on matchday two against Liverpool, Chelsea decided to sign Edouard Mendy to give him the starting job. The Basque goalkeeper had one last chance in the Premier, but weeks after the arrival of his competitor, he once again had an important win against Southampton. Since then, the bench is their common habitat.