Scoring at Stamford Bridge will not be an easy task for Rennes this Wednesday evening, after the draw in front of Krasnodar at home (1-1) and the short but logical defeat in Seville (1-0).
Even if they do not feel vis-à-vis their former partner against goal, Julien Stephan's players will have to deceive the vigilance of Edouard Mendy in a state of grace since his installation in Chelsea.
Transferred late on September 24 from Rennes to the Blues against 24 million euros, Mendy, 28, made his mark in the London cage.
And, mechanically, designated his place on the bench to the Spaniard Kepa Arrizabalaga, 26, the former incumbent.
The Senegal goalkeeper (7 selections) indeed remains on five clean sheets
(Editor's note: match without conceding a goal)
.
Three in the Premier League against Crystal Palace (4-0), Manchester United (0-0) and Burnley (0-3), then two in the Champions League against Sevilla FC (0-0) then Krasnodar (0-4) ).
In Chelsea, a goalkeeper had not made such a perfect copy since 2004 with Petr Cech, emblematic goalkeeper of the Blues (2004-2015), while the latter also arrived from Rennes.
The Czech, 38, now a member of the Chelsea staff, had somewhere designated his successor, by placing the name of Mendy at the top of the list of possible goalkeepers to hire in the offseason.
"It is in the continuity of its performances with Rennes," said Cech about Mendy in L'Equipe.
He is a very calm goalkeeper, who knows how to remain simple and efficient, who reassures his teammates.
He must continue to evolve at this level to keep his starting position, because the competition with Kepa and Willy
(Editor's note: Caballero)
remains open.
"
"You feel that he is very happy to do his job"
“Edouard is living a waking dream: he thought to hang up a few years ago and today he holds Chelsea, continues Cech.
In Reims, he was given his chance, he grabbed it with both hands and never let go.
There, he is still in this dynamic, you feel that he is very happy to do his job.
At Chelsea, the pressure on the shoulders of the goalkeepers is very high but Edouard gives the impression of managing it without problem, because he has lived through difficult times which allow him to take a step back.
"
❤️ AT THE HEART OF THE CLUBS [EXCLUDED]
🤩 Former high-flying goalkeeper at @staderennais, @ChelseaFC & @Arsenal
🗣️ @PetrCech tells behind the scenes of Edouard's #transfert #Mendy as #Blues goalkeeper 👉
Before Chelsea 🆚 Rennes in @ChampionsLeague #telefootlachaine #UCL pic.twitter.com/YsVkDYXZRw
- TELEFOOT LA CHAINE DU FOOT (@telefoot_chaine) November 2, 2020
In addition to a goal conceded against Tottenham in the League Cup (defeated 1-1, 6-5 on penalties) for his first appearance five days after his transfer, Mendy has not felt the nets tremble for more than a year. months and 457 minutes during ...
“Since his first match against Tottenham in the Coupe de la Ligue and in the matches that followed, Edouard has shown his confidence in the goal and that's what we were looking for when we recruited him, underlines Frank Lampard, the coach of Chelsea, who already evokes a "very beautiful story" about Mendy.
He clearly came to bring us competition.
It's up to the players to show their qualities and he has shown them.
“Before a warm post-match reunion, Alfred Gomis, 27, transferred from Dijon to Rennes to compensate for the departure of Mendy, will not fail to scrutinize the performance of his counterpart and fellow selection.
If however, the attacks of the Blues leave him the leisure.
