Thursday, August 12, 2021 at 11:58• Mart Oude Nijeweeme

The day after the Super Cup won, England is not just about Chelsea’s victory over Villarreal. The most talked about moment came two minutes before the end of extra time, when Thomas Tuchel decided to bring Kepa Arrizabalaga inside the lines for Edouard Mendy in the run-up to the penalty shootout. With this, the German coach copied a trick of Louis van Gaal, who did the same with Jasper Cillessen and Tim Krul during the 2014 World Cup.

After a goal by Hakim Ziyech, the equalizer by Gerard Moreno and a goalless extra time, penalties had to decide on Wednesday evening in the Super Cup game between Chelsea and Villarreal. A minute before the end of extra time, Tuchel brought in his reserve goalkeeper. “It was not a spontaneous action,” the Chelsea manager explains his choice. “We talked about it after the goalkeepers’ first cup game against Barnsley. We had statistics to hand and were well prepared.”

???????????????? ???????? ???? ???????? ??????????? ??????? ????????! #chevil pic.twitter.com/CqDowPBPgP

— VTBL ? (@vtbl) August 11, 2021

In the end, Chelsea took the longest in the penalty shootout: six to five used penalties. Kai Havertz’s miss was defused by the failures of Aissa Mandi and Raúl Albiol on behalf of the Spaniards. Tuchel’s last minute substitution turned out to be excellent: Kepa took both penalties. “Kepa has the best penalty saving percentage,” continued Tuchel. “The analyzing guys and goalkeeper coaches showed me the data. We talked to the players that this could happen if we play in knockout matches. It’s fantastic how Edouard accepted it.”

Where Cillessen was visibly disappointed and angry about the substitution of Van Gaal in 2014, Mendy took it a lot more sporty at Chelsea. The goalkeeper wished his colleague good luck and stepped off the field with his head held high. Even when veteran Albiol missed the decisive penalty on behalf of Villarreal, Mendy was there like the chickens to congratulate Kepa. “They are team players. Edouard does not show the pride of not stepping off the field,” Tuchel concluded. Chelsea will kick off the new season in the Premier League with a home game against Crystal Palace, when Mendy will take the spot under the bar again.