Kepa Arrizabalaga acknowledges that the League Cup semi-finals against his former club Chelsea will present significant challenges, but he assures that Arsenal will be prepared.
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Arsenal’s goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga, made headlines on Tuesday night after saving a penalty from Crystal Palace, securing the Gunners’ advancement to the next round of the League Cup.
As a result, Kepa now faces his former team Chelsea in the upcoming fixtures, following his transfer to Arsenal for £5 million during the summer transfer window.
This won’t be Kepa’s first encounter with his old club, as he was on the bench for the Premier League match against Chelsea in November. However, he did not play in that match and is expected to start in both legs this time.
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Following the victory against Crystal Palace, Kepa reflected on the upcoming matches against Chelsea.
“Currently, if we’re aiming for a trophy, which we certainly are, we must compete against strong opponents,” Kepa stated.
“I believe both semi-finals will be significant contests. They will be challenging, but we are committed to preparing thoroughly. We will be ready and we intend to seize the opportunity!”
Photo via Arsenal.com
Kepa has made an impressive start to his Arsenal career, achieving clean sheets against Port Vale and Brighton, in addition to his notable penalty save against Crystal Palace.
He is expected to have a preparatory match before facing Chelsea on January 14th, with Arsenal set to play Portsmouth in the FA Cup the previous weekend on January 11th.
Should Kepa continue to play in the cup matches while David Raya handles Premier League and Champions League games, the former Chelsea keeper will be in goal for both cup fixtures over a span of four days.
The second leg of the League Cup semi-final is scheduled for February 3rd at the Emirates Stadium.