Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has addressed fans following his crucial error in Sunday’s dramatic Carabao Cup Final defeat by Liverpool.
The Spanish international was brought on to replace the excellent Edouard Mendy in the final stages of extra-time at Wembley with a penalty shootout beckoning, with Thomas Tuchel hoping for a repeat of his heroics against Villarreal in the Uefa Super Cup.
However, such a decision backfired spectacularly, with Kepa failing to save any of Liverpool’s 11 penalties in a marathon shootout that followed an action-packed goalless draw before blazing his own effort hopelessly over the crossbar to seal Chelsea’s fourth consecutive domestic cup final loss and leave Jurgen Klopp’s side fighting for a potential quadruple.
Tuchel tried to deflect the blame from his second-choice goalkeeper after the match, telling reporters following his controversial call: “The players know and we did it before. But mistakes happen. I do mistakes. Edu did a big mistake and could have almost been punished with a decisive goal.
“If you want to blame someone, blame me. I take the decisions and I don’t take them to be the hero.
“We have reasons. I try to explain the reasons. It was not the first time and today it took 11 penalties to find a winner. There are no regrets. If you want to blame somebody, blame me, it is no problem.”
To fall and rise.
— Kepa Arrizabalaga (@kepa_46) February 27, 2022
Disappointed after big effort during the tournament.
We keep working.
Thanks @chelseafc family for your support. pic.twitter.com/yu2FkZlG4h
Sunday’s events marked the latest chapter in a remarkable relationship with the Carabao Cup Final for Kepa, who infamously refused then manager Maurizio Sarri’s request to leave the pitch for Willy Caballero during the 2019 showpiece before a looming penalty shootout against Manchester City, which Chelsea lost.
Kepa’s penalty record since then has been strong, as witnessed in Belfast earlier this season and in the third round of the Carabao Cup against Aston Villa, with the world’s most expensive goalkeeper surpassing Petr Cech’s club record for spot-kick saves.
After his high-profile failure on Sunday, Kepa tweeted: “To fall and rise. Disappointed after big effort during the tournament. We keep working. Thanks @chelseafc family for your support.”
