Thomas Tuchel with Chelsea goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy. (GETTY Images)
Speaking in the pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Southampton (h/t football.london), Thomas Tuchel admitted that Edouard Mendy’s mistake against Real Madrid came at the ‘worst time’. The Blues were drawn to face the La Liga giants in the last eight of this year’s UEFA Champions League season.
The first leg ended in a damaging 3-1 defeat for the Blues at Stamford Bridge. Karim Benzema scored twice in quick succession to put Los Blancos ahead a few minutes before the half-hour mark before Kai Havertz got one back for the defending UCL champions.
But just after the start of the second half, the Senegalese stopper lost his focus as he tried to play a pass to Antonio Rudiger. Mendy was a long way off his line and his under-hit pass somehow found its way to Benzema’s feet.
What happened next was a simple tap-in for the ex-Lyon striker to put his team 3-1 ahead. For Tuchel, this mistake came at the ‘worst time’ for the Blues as they slumped to a damaging defeat at home.
“It’s a bad time to do a mistake but in a quarter-final against Real Madrid is the worst time because it’s so obvious. I hope it doesn’t affect his self-confidence, this is what goalkeeping is about: accepting mistakes.”
The ex-PSG boss admitted that Mendy was ‘never fully free of mistakes’. This particular line- even if it is true- was perhaps one that could have been omitted by our boss in the presser, considering it undermines Mendy’s last year and a half to a certain extent.
“He was never fully free of mistakes, maybe last season, we helped him better maybe more lucky.”
It is now a thing of the past. Placing the blame on Mendy for the two-goal deficit should be balanced out by questioning Romelu Lukaku’s miss when he had a header off target with the club trailing 3-1. The reverse leg will be played in Madrid on Tuesday next week.
But before that, we take on a Southampton side that has had its fair share of memorable performances this season. One can argue that Tuchel is finally presented with a chance to hand Kepa Arrizabalaga a start in the Premier League in recent weeks.
Mendy can use this time to get his mind off the mistake he made last week and focus on being back to his brilliant self by next week. His Spanish counterpart stepped in very well for him when Mendy was away for AFCON, and fans would perhaps not mind the former manning our goal come the weekend.
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