Kepa Arrizabalaga: ‘Remontadas can happen and can happen tomorrow’ – Chelsea keeper warns Real Madrid ahead of Champions League clash

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga believes his side can turn their Champions League quarter-final tie with Real Madrid despite their 2-0 defeat in the first leg.

Los Blancos convincingly beat the Blues in Spain, carving them open at will. Apart from early in the first half, Chelsea barely threatened their Spanish counterparts.

Chelsea were lucky to concede only twice as Arrizabalaga made several saves to keep them in it. Thiago Silva also made a goal-line clearance.

Arrizabalaga believes in comebacks and has backed his side to turn the tie around at Stamford Bridge.

He said (via Chelsea’s website): “Maybe we are not in our best shape. It is not a good season for us, but we must believe until the end.

“In these stadiums, remontadas (comebacks) can happen, and we have to believe it can happen tomorrow. We have to try our best. We need a big performance.”

The former Atheltic Bilbao keeper recognised they would have to do much better to win the game.

That includes the keeper, who continues to face scrutiny despite making plenty of saves for his side. Many people felt he could have done better with Marco Asensio’s goal in the first leg.

He also pushed Vinicius’ effort into the path of Karim Benzema for the first goal.

Last weekend, he conceded a long shot against Brighton & Hove Albion – a constant theme under his guardianship of the posts.

Interim manager Frank Lampard was tipped to reinstate Edouard Mendy as the first-choice goalkeeper, but that has not happened.

Mendy recently returned to training after a lengthy absence but has been away with another injury.

Chelsea will likely be in the market for a new keeper in the summer transfer window. But it remains unclear who they will sell between Mendy and Arrizabalaga.