Thomas Tuchel Decides Kepa Arrizabalaga Fate At Chelsea

Thomas Tuchel will hand embattled goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga a “new start” at Chelsea by starting him in Thursday’s FA Cup fifth-round trip to Barnsley.

The £72million Spaniard recruit has failed to live up to that record price tag for a keeper in 2018 and has fallen behind summer signing Edouard Mendy in Chelsea’s pecking order.

Tuchel has now insisted Kepa can still rebuild his career in west London.

“It’s very important for me to say this: he doesn’t have to overachieve,” said Tuchel. “I want him to play a normal match tomorrow. He does not have to show me or anybody else tomorrow he is ready to be Spain’s number one in the summer.

“He just has to show his quality. Not more or less. So we have to manage expectations because I don’t expect him to score and keep a clean sheet.

“No goalkeeper wants to sit on the bench, I understand that. And none of my guys want to travel tomorrow to sit on the bench.

“So the good thing for him is that we start new, it’s a new start for him. I don’t have a history with him and I hope there will be no difficulties, because I don’t see them coming.

” He does everything to impress in training. Kepa has a chance tomorrow and I hope he can show what he shows in training.”

Credit GoalBall.