The 28-year-old Spain international moved to the Blues from Athletic Bilbao in August 2018 for £71.6 million. He is under contract at the Bernabeu until June 2019.

Real Madrid was looking for a new custodian after Thibaut Courtois hurt his ACL in training on Thursday. He is likely to miss most of the season because of this injury.

A statement on Real’s official website said: “Real Madrid CF and Chelsea FC have agreed on the loan of the player Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is linked to the club this season, until June 30, 2024.

“In his five seasons at Chelsea, he has won one Champions League, one Club World Cup, one European Super Cup and one Europa League.

“This year, he has received the award for the best save in the Premier League for the 2022/2023 season.

“Kepa is an international with the Spanish team, with which he has been proclaimed champion of the 2023 Nations League. With Spain, he also won the U19 European Championship in 2012.”

👋 @kepa_46 👋#WelcomeKepa pic.twitter.com/LXzBjM5Tr4

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 14, 2023

On Tuesday afternoon, Kepa will be officially introduced as a Real Madrid player.

After his 25-year-old countryman Robert Sanchez arrived at Stamford Bridge, he went back to Spain.

Sanchez joined Arsenal from Brighton for £25 million earlier this month. He started Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool at home, while youngster Lucas Bergstrom sat on the bench.

Kepa has played for Chelsea 163 times and was given the captaincy last year.

But under new coach Mauricio Pochettino, he is no longer needed. He will now work for a season under former Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti.

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Jurgen Klopp’s side clinched their first domestic knockout prize since the 2012 League Cup when Kepa blazed his spot kick high over the bar.

It was the only miss in the nerve-jangling shootout, where Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher score his penalty just before Kepa failed.

Ironically, Kepa was sent on at the end of extra time to replace Edouard Mendy given his reputation as a penalty-saving specialist, but the Spaniard was unable to repel any of Liverpool’s kicks.

While there were no goals in 120 minutes, this was a fascinating final which produced countless chances for both sides to win it before the cruel denouement.

Liverpool saw Joel Matip’s second-half goal controversially disallowed for a marginal offside against Virgil van Dijk, while Chelsea had three goals ruled out for offside later in the match.

Chelsea paid for a series of missed chances, with Christian Pulisic wastefully guiding his close-range effort straight at Kelleher in the opening minutes.

Mendy sprawled to his right to repel Naby Keita’s 20-yard drive, then scrambled across to push Sadio Mane’s close-range follow-up over the bar with one hand when it seemed certain he would score.

Chelsea should have been ahead before the interval when Pulisic found Havertz and he clipped a cross towards Mason Mount, who somehow volleyed wide from eight yards with the goal at his mercy.

Incredibly, Mount managed an even worse miss early in the second half, scuffing his shot against the post after Pulisic’s deft chip left his teammate completely unmarked inside the area.

Chelsea escaped in the 67th minute when Matip nodded Mane’s header into the roof of the net from close range.

Liverpool’s celebrations were well over by the time Attwell consulted the pitchside monitor and disallowed the goal for offside against Van Dijk.

The intensity was unrelenting from both teams and Havertz saw his header disallowed for a much-clearer offside than the one that denied Klopp’s side.

Romelu Lukaku, introduced after being left on the bench for a second successive game, thought he had put Chelsea ahead in extra time, but a debatable offside decision disallowed his clinical finish.

Havertz was also denied a goal by another offside flag, setting the stage the Liverpool to win it in the shootout.

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Spaniard Kepa is currently playing second fiddle to Edouard Mendy at Stamford Bridge, but his form when called upon has not gone unnoticed by Tuchel.

The 27-year-old, making only his sixth appearance of the season, produced two stunning saves to keep Brentford at bay as a youthful Chelsea side won 2-0 on Wednesday night to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

Mendy is set to return when the Blues head to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Boxing Day, but Tuchel is delighted with his options in the goalkeeping department.

“I am very happy in general. Happy is maybe not the right word, but I am super impressed with Kepa,” he said.

“It is not a surprise anymore because he is in the state of mind as a person, a character and a sportsman where he just delivers for us, because he does what he does best.

“This is what he shows every day in training and this is why he gets the reward. I am absolutely sure that this is the reason why he has these kinds of performances.

“I am super happy, we need him in this kind of shape. The goalkeepers are a strong group and Kepa is a big part of it.”

Tuchel can welcome back Romelu Lukaku and Callum Hudson-Odoi for the trip to Villa Park.

The attacking duo were two of the eight Blues players hit by Covid-19 but have now recorded negative tests and are back in training.

Defender Andreas Christensen is also in contention after a back injury.

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The Spaniard got the faintest of touches to save Theo Walcott’s penalty while Will Smallbone blazed over for Southampton to give the Blues a 4-3 spot-kick victory in the Carabao Cup last-16 tie.

It was a similar story in the previous round against Aston Villa and means Thomas Tuchel’s side are into the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time since they lost the 2019 final to Manchester City.

Kepa made only his fourth appearance of the campaign in the win over Southampton, but it was the third time he had helped the club to penalty shootout success this season and he could be more regularly called upon in January when first-choice Mendy is set to be away for up to four weeks with Senegal at the Afcon.

But the £72-million goalkeeper insisted: “Well, it’s two months away. Of course, we know it can happen and I will be ready but we have a lot of games until we start thinking about that.

“Let’s go step by step and we’ll see what happens. If he goes to the African Cup, all the best and I’ll be ready. But it’s still a long way to arrive at that point.”

Chances continue to be few and far between for the Spain international but he recovered well after some sloppiness for Southampton’s equaliser where he only partially saved Kyle Walker-Peters’ effort with his legs and Che Adams was on hand to tap home.

That goal cancelled out Kai Havertz 44th-minute opener which had Chelsea on course for another routine win, having thrashed Norwich 7-0 this past Saturday, but the visitors hit back and Kepa denied Adam Armstrong, Smallbone, Lyanco and Mohammed Salisu after the break to send the tie to spot kicks.

“I’ve always said I try to help the team in the best way but I do feel really good at penalties,” admitted Kepa, who also inspired shootout success over Villarreal in the Uefa Super Cup final back in August.

“I feel confident. It’s a bit of luck, a bit of work, a bit of everything but I feel really good.

“Of course, I want to play more regularly. My last game was also a cup game, more or less a month ago, so it’s not easy to sometimes step in and feel the same as you would if you play every week.

“But I try to be ready, train hard, be involved in the team. Also, I feel the confidence of the manager – this is really important. I’ve felt his support from the beginning and I think when I step in I’m ready to help the team. I’m happy to do that.”

Kepa’s next opportunity is likely to be the Carabao Cup quarter-final in December before potentially more minutes in January, which the Spanish ace will hope includes a two-legged last-four clash in a competition Chelsea have not won since 2015.

“December and January here is so busy, a lot of games but we have the squad with big quality to play every game with a strong team,” he said.

“We’re ready to arrive to a final. Let’s go step by step, but of course that’s in our mind.”

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There were eyebrows raised as Kepa replaced Edouard Mendy towards the end of the 1-1 draw at Belfast’s Windsor Park on Wednesday night.

The score could not be settled over 120 minutes after Hakim Ziyech’s effort for the Champions League holders was cancelled out by Gerard Moreno.

Europa League-winners Villarreal hit the woodwork twice but came up short in the shootout as Kepa saved from both Aissa Mandi and Raul Albiol, with Chelsea winning 6-5 after Kai Havertz had missed the first spot kick.

Mendy had enjoyed a decent night between the posts but showed no signs of annoyance when he was replaced with just seconds remaining as Tuchel explained the effort put in by his staff to find his best goalkeeper for saving penalties.

“Since I arrived we have an unbelievable amount and quality of support in the structure of the club and this is one good example,” he said.

“In my first cup game [as Chelsea boss] against Barnsley we had talks with the goalkeeper coaches and the analysing department, who came up with a statistic that Willy Cabellero was the best in penalty defending.

“They analysed thousands of penalties from Willy, then second best was Kepa and third best was Edouard in this statistic.

“So we spoke to all three of the goalkeepers very openly that it can be that when we have a situation like this and we have a change left, then we take the change.

“Not for personal reasons but to help the team, to improve the chances because we had this proof of statistics.

“Willy is not there any more but the three accepted it in a fantastic manner, it showed all the spirit that this team trains and lives together and they said this is absolutely no problem.

“You see today, Mendy puts his ego to the side when we take this decision and he was aware – I think that is key, he is aware why we do this.

“It is not a sudden idea of the manager on the sideline. This was planned and openly discussed with the goalkeepers and I’m very happy they showed this type of team spirit and it was fine to take this one to the team.”

It was not all good news for Chelsea on a day when Romelu Lukaku landed in the country to seal his return to Stamford Bridge.

Ziyech, who was the best player on the pitch and broke the deadlock by turning home a Havertz cross, was forced off with a shoulder problem before half time.

“If you take a player out during the first half it’s serious,” Tuchel told BT Sport when asked about Ziyech’s injury.

“We overused some players who were absolutely not ready to play 120 minutes and have only two days in between this and the next match with Crystal Palace so that absolutely does not help us.

“We came [to Belfast] with so many players who did not even play a friendly match so far, so this is the situation – we have to adapt and we have to, in our mindset, be as ready as we can be to do our very best.”

Former Arsenal boss Unai Emery saw off the Gunners and Manchester United to win the Europa League last season, beating the Red Devils in a shootout in the final, but he could not make it a hat-trick of Premier League scalps.

“Last year we played a lot of games in the Europa League,” Emery said.

“We won it and this year we are going to play in the Champions League, we are going to try and progress wherever we can progress and the club is ready to help us with that, keep a good squad and giving the stability they have always.

“We’re going to be playing in the Champions League this year so we need to compete against those teams like we did in today’s game. Today was about playing against the best team in the world. So the idea was to enjoy it but also be competitive.”

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Thomas Tuchel has hailed Antonio Rudiger and Kepa Arrizabalaga for showing ‘courage’ to make amends after their training-ground bust-up.

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Lampard revealed the Spain international will start Tuesday’s dead-rubber Champions League clash with Krasnodar at Stamford Bridge.

The 26-year-old will make his first appearance since October, having slipped out of the team following Edouard Mendy’s £20-million arrival from Rennes.

Kepa became a £71m world-record signing for a goalkeeper when joining Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao in 2018, but has failed to convince at Stamford Bridge and especially under Lampard.

Lampard has previously admitted Kepa was struggling with his confidence and form, but Chelsea have already won Group E leaving Tuesday’s clash the ideal opportunity to rotate resources.

Chelsea could reasonably seek to cut any losses on Kepa, but Lampard insisted the club’s board have made no such moves.

Asked if he is under any pressure to move Kepa on, Lampard said: ‘No, there’s no pressure. The pressure, and I’m not saying this has been spoken about, is to win games.

‘I have to do the right thing game by game, of course.

‘And Mendy has made himself a permanent fixture at this point.

‘Because the pressure to win games means I pick people in form – goalkeeper, striker, winger, whoever.

‘But, at the same time, with the game tomorrow it’s obviously an opportunity to give Edou a rest and Kepa a game; he’s been training well and he deserves it.

‘Kepa will start against Krasnodar. Like I said about the group as a whole, it’s about attitude and how we approach the game.

‘Of course, Kepa’s situation is slightly different, because the goalkeepers have to be patient when they’re not starting games.

‘And, generally, obviously with Edou’s form he’s been a very regular pick for me.

‘But, of course, for this game it’s a game for Kepa, who’s training brilliantly well, acting brilliantly well.

‘These periods will happen in players’ careers, and sometimes they will make you stronger and better at the other end. So, I’ve got no qualms about putting him back in.’

Back in @ChampionsLeague action tomorrow! 💪#CHEKRA pic.twitter.com/FjOYy8gBUv

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 7, 2020

Mendy has already kept nine clean sheets with Chelsea, having only made the switch from Rennes at the end of September.

While Kepa will doubtless have been frustrated by losing his No 1 status with the Blues, Lampard praised the Spaniard’s response, especially in training.

‘Kepa’s been very supportive with Edou, and I see that, I see it from afar sometimes, the goalkeepers, they work together with Hilario a lot,’ said Lampard.

‘But what I do see, watching from afar, is someone that’s supporting him, quietly, as is his right, and someone who’s training really well.

‘And that’s the main thing I look at, because the training, particularly the goalkeepers, it can’t only be one goalkeeper who trains at a level – they have to push each other, and I see that within the group.

‘And I’m very pleased with Kepa. His reaction has been spot-on.’

Callum Hudson-Odoi will miss the Krasnodar clash having picked up a hamstring problem in training.

The Blues are still waiting to discover the extent of Hakim Ziyech’s hamstring problem, but Lampard hopes the Morocco winger will avoid a long-term issue.

‘Hakim’s going for a scan this afternoon, so we’ll have more information tomorrow,’ said Lampard.

‘He’s out and Callum Hudson-Odoi’s out, too, with a hamstring problem picked up in training yesterday as well.

‘I hope it’s a minor injury for Hakim and we’ll find out from the scan.

‘The feeling he has had is that it doesn’t feel too bad so it will mean we are talking a couple of weeks, but I will have to wait for the scan on that one.’

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The former Rennes stopper helped the Blues secure Lampard’s first goalless draw as Chelsea boss in Tuesday’s Champions League stalemate with Sevilla.

Senegal stopper Mendy shook off a thigh issue to start the Group E opener at Stamford Bridge, which left Lampard delighted with his side’s more robust shape.

Asked if Mendy is already Chelsea’s No 1 keeper, Lampard said: ‘At the moment, yes; he’s shown his quality.

‘The way he’s played, he’s played very well, that’s two clean sheets for him already.

‘As it stands he is [the number one] but that’s always up for grabs. But the way he’s playing, I’m very happy.

‘I was pleased with the professional element to the win.

‘Seville are a top team in European football, no doubt.

‘The concentration and focus to get the result was big from the team.

‘We made a lot of good decisions tonight, so it’s a really nice place for us to build from.

‘I think it’s a positive result. The clean sheet was a big deal for us.’

Out-of-form Kepa Arrizabalaga dropped to the bench on Mendy’s return after another afternoon to forget in Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Southampton.

Chelsea were solid against Sevilla if a little uninspiring in attack, though the Blues will be delighted with an improved defensive showing.

Chelsea registered former goalkeeper Petr Cech in their Premier League squad on Tuesday, with the 38-year-old on hand if required in a coronavirus-related emergency.

Cech is still younger than 39-year-old Blues veteran keeper Willy Caballero, and is on hand if required now despite retiring in the summer of 2019.

Chelsea’s technical director has been training with the senior squad for several weeks, with Lampard insisting it was a ‘no-brainer’ to add him to the league ranks.

‘It’s definitely not done for the romance, Pete enjoys the training, that’s how he is,’ said Lampard.

‘With Pete it’s something I wouldn’t expect to happen but with how fit he is if we were in crisis we couldn’t have anyone better than Petr Cech around.

‘I don’t expect him to play, but nobody expected what’s happened in the last six or seven months, so that would explain why he’s in there.

‘He’s invaluable for his experience, passing that on to the goalkeepers.

‘We had a space this year, and Covid makes this a year like no other.

‘He’s very fit, he’s still relatively young, and he finished playing when he possibly could have carried on when he took on the role that he does very well here.

‘He trains very regularly and very well. I’m not sure if we’ll see him this season, it depends on how things go, of course.

‘But it’s a total no-brainer to have him in the squad for the reasons of the pandemic and everything that’s happened.

‘He trains every day, and that can only help the goalkeepers we have, to have one of the best in the recent modern era training with them.’

Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui believed his side could have won the clash, but was happy to leave with a point.

‘I think we played a good match against a top team with top players, and in the end we got one point,’ said Lopetegui.

‘We had the chances to win, but in the end we have to be happy.’

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Former Blues and Arsenal stalwart Cech retired in the summer of 2019 and stepped straight into a board role at Chelsea when Frank Lampard was appointed manager.

But now the 38-year-old has been added to Chelsea’s Premier League official squad list – purely as a precautionary move during the pandemic.

New recruit Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Willy Caballero and Jamie Cumming all sit ahead of Cech in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

‘Petr Cech has been included in the squad as emergency goalkeeper cover,’ Chelsea confirmed in a statement.

‘This is a precautionary step due to the unprecedented conditions currently caused by the Covid-19 crisis. He takes up a position as a non-contract player.’

Cech is younger than 39-year-old Blues veteran stopper Caballero, who has himself joked previously about battling his advancing years.

Former Czech Republic goalkeeper Cech made more than 300 Chelsea appearances between 2004 and 2015, before spending another four years with Arsenal.

The 124-cap star would only be called upon by Chelsea in a major crisis, but the Blues jumped at the opportunity to register one of their most trusted lieutenants.

Ice hockey fan Cech has sustained his fitness by turning out for Guildford Phoenix, while he has also helped out in an unofficial coaching role with Chelsea’s goalkeepers this season.

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Spain keeper Kepa played a crucial part in Chelsea’s bungling defensive errors that gifted Che Adams’ goal in Saturday’s 3-3 Premier League draw with Southampton.

Chelsea coasted into a 2-0 lead thanks to a stunning Timo Werner brace, with Kai Havertz also on target.

But Saints battled back through Danny Ings and Adams, with Jannik Vestergaard’s stoppage-time strike stealing a point from a deserved draw.

Kepa was recalled for the Stamford Bridge clash in the wake of £20million recruit Edoard Mendy’s thigh injury, but endured another afternoon to forget.

Despite the 26-year-old’s continued battle for form however, Lampard vowed to keep supporting the Spain star.

‘He has to be strong enough mentally, that’s the job we’re in,’ said Lampard. ‘He has to deal with that, he has the support of myself and his teammates.

‘He has to keep working, that’s the only way through it… to work and feel the support of everyone around him.

‘It’s unfortunate because he did make two really good saves today, but obviously with something like the second goal then eyes are drawn to that.

‘But it certainly wasn’t just Kepa involved in that.

‘Mendy will probably be fit in the next week or two weeks and that’s a decision then about who plays.

‘I’m frustrated with the draw, and the players are and would be because the first half was as good as we’ve played this season.

‘It was great football, and we could have had more goals and put the game beyond Southampton.

‘Mistakes will always concern you and for the second goal, that’s a situation we should clearly have dealt with in much simpler terms. You just can’t be conceding goals like that.

‘Southampton were the better side in the second half and there’s certainly an element of game management for us, and that’s disappointing.’

Hailing his side’s resolve to battle to the draw, Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl revealed his side drew motivation from their changing-room situation at Stamford Bridge.

The Covid-19 regulations mean both teams have to change separately, and Hasenhuttl felt Saints were situated too far away from the pitch area.

‘We lost nearly three minutes of the interval when we had to go through and you have to come out earlier, so it’s not possible,’ said Hasenhuttl.

‘You want to coach and reorganise the team, and it’s a long way, it’s too long.

‘We used the time well that we had. It was good motivation because we could say to the guys, “look, we are in the last part of the stadium, but let’s get back into it”.

‘We hadn’t been aggressive enough against them in front of the back four.

‘The first goal and the second goal it was not good enough. It was a disaster the first 20 minutes. We must close better from the front.

‘It was a deserved point in the end because we were the better team in the second half.’

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