Chelsea winning the Super Cup after beating Villareal is just another proof that the bold decisions which Thomas Tuchel is known for pay off in the end. In the final of the super cup, Kepa Arrizabalaga, the substitute goalkeeper for Chelsea was given a shot and the Spaniard’s performance was nothing short of impressive. He managed to save two shots of the seven he faced in the penalties, winning the match for Chelsea.
The substitute goalie was thereafter lifted by his teammates in rejoice and Tuchel went as far as kissing him on the cheek. The manager of Chelsea replaced Mendy with Arrizabalaga during the 119th minute of the game. The substitute was so derided so far that he had never touched the ball during a match before making a save on the low right by a shot made by Aissa Mandi, and again a same save from a shot by Raul Albiol, the captain of Villareal.
The goalie is famous for refusing a substitution in the penalties against City in the Cup Final of the English Premier League in 2019. Although they lost that game, Arrizabalaga redeemed himself to the Chelsea fans by helping the club win this trophy.
Chelsea Performances In Recent Times
Chelsea has claimed nearly all the trophies this season and the fans are aware. The only trophy left for the club to win this season is the World Cup for the Clubs, and they would have a complete cupboard of trophies. The last time the club laid claim on the Super Cup was in 1998. The last three attempts were lost by them, among which two were lost in penalty rounds. Both Bayern Munich and Liverpool were able to defeat the club previously but the situation is not the same anymore.
Techel later gave an explanation saying that the move to change the goalkeepers at the last minute was a planned one. Kepa had the best statistics when it came to saving penalties, and when the match proceeded in the direction, the decision was already made for Tuchel.