https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2022/02/11/
injury-and-tuchel-update-pre-club-world-cup-final
Low on Tuchel latest and which goalkeeper Chelsea will pick
11 Feb 2022
Chelsea men's first team coach Zsolt Low has provided an update on Thomas
Tuchel and discussed the tricky goalkeeping decision that will need to be
made ahead of tomorrow's Club World Cup final.
https://i.imgur.com/fReV7t2.jpg
Tuchel has been isolating since testing positive for Covid-19 at the end
of last week and has not been able to travel to Abu Dhabi yet as the Blues
seek to add fresh silverware to our trophy cabinet.
There is still hope the boss can travel, as Low explained in a pre-match
media conference looking forward to our meeting with Palmeiras to decide
which club are champions of the world.
'We still have 30 hours until the game,' said Low. 'We still hope he can
come and enjoy the group and the final as soon as possible.
'He is following the rules and getting tested. There is a lot of time. Any
test he does could be negative. We hope this happens in the next hours.
Thomas absolutely thinks he can be there, and the team and the whole staff
want him to come for the final.
'We hope he can come, but if he cannot, we are still well prepared. We
have had a lot of meetings. We had a video conference after the first game
analysing it, and seeing what we can do better and what problems we had.
We are absolutely clear what happened in the first game and what we have
to do better in the second game.'
The big decision awaiting the coaching staff centres on which goalkeeper
to select. Edouard Mendy has returned from the Africa Cup of Nations fresh
from helping Senegal triumph, while in his absence Kepa has starred
between the posts for us, not least in the narrow semi-final victory over
Al Hilal on Wednesday.
It is clear plenty of thought will go into the decision.
'We are very happy with both goalkeepers,' stressed Low. 'It's a good,
comfortable situation to have two goalkeepers like this. When Edou
couldn't be with the team, Kepa stepped up and brought big performances.
'Now Edou is back, he is fresh. Now he is fully involved in yesterday's
training and training later today. We are very happy he is healthy. He is
in good shape with good experience behind him, and he is absolutely ready
to play the game [if selected].
https://i.imgur.com/XnfgP8g.jpg
Low was on media duties again in Tuchel's absence
'We have to take this decision tonight or latest tomorrow. We talk to
Thomas about it, we talk with the goalkeeper coaches, and we will make the
final decision tomorrow, some hours before the game.
'Whoever sits on the bench has nothing to be worried or sad about. Both
goalkeepers have had big performances in the last weeks, and that's why
it's just a decision for this game.'