Edouard Mendy is aiming to continue his golden year during what could prove to be a defining week for Chelsea in their bid to claim further silverware under Thomas Tuchel.
The Blues face Lille at Stamford Bridge tonight as they begin the knockout stages of their Champions League title defence before taking on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup Final at Wembley Stadium this weekend.
Mendy has enjoyed a staggering spell with Chelsea and Senegal, winning the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup under Tuchel as well as lifting the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in Cameroon earlier this month. On an individual note, the 29-year-old won the Fifa Best Award for top goalkeeper in 2021.
Despite his remarkable success, Mendy - who signed from Rennes in 2020 - says he is not wasting any time celebrating and is relishing a huge week in Chelsea's season.
"A lot of good things have happened the last weeks," said Mendy. "I am very happy and proud of my success with the national team and Chelsea.
"I don't have time to celebrate because we have a lot of big games in the coming weeks, so I am just focused on the next game and I will have time to celebrate at the end of the season.
"Of course, it's an important week but like I said, when you play for Chelsea you play for this kind of week, with finals and big games.
"We just focus on ourselves and what we have done well this season. We just focus, we don't need to do something new, just stay and rely on our work and our game."
During Mendy’s time away with Senegal, Kepa Arrizabalaga impressed while stepping back into Tuchel's side and is posing perhaps the strongest challenge to Mendy's place as first-choice ‘keeper since his arrival to replace the struggling Spaniard.
Kepa's performances, however, did not come as a surprise to his team-mate, who welcomes the challenge.
"My relationship with Kepa is good since I came here," said Mendy. "We have a good relationship on and off the pitch.
"He did really well when I was at AFCON but it didn't surprise me because I saw him every day at training. I was super happy for him because he deserves it.
"When you play for Chelsea, you have competition in every position so you have to give your best and play at your highest level to be in the team at the weekend."
Lille was seen as perhaps the easiest tie Chelsea could have asked for when the draw for the last-16 was made in December, with the French champions currently sitting 11th in Ligue 1.
Mendy, however, has warned that they must be at their best to avoid a slip up against such underdogs.
"When it's the Champions League and this stage of the competition, there are no easy draws," said Mendy. "Lille won their group and I think that reflects the performances they've produced in this competition against teams like Sevilla and Salzburg. They've been performing well so it's certainly not an easy draw.
"Lille are a very good team. They've struggled a bit more this season in the league but it's always difficult to be reigning champions.
"They've done very well in the Champions League and will give everything to make it hard for us and get a result. So it's up to us to be wary of that and play our best football."
