Updated By SaraNextGen

On March 11, 2024, 11:35 AM

On Penance Shoot Out to win UEFA Super Cup title - Chelsea beats Villarreal to Super Cup

1. Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga came off the bench to make two shootout saves as Champions League winners Chelsea beat Spain’s Villarreal 6-5 on penalties to add the UEFA Super Cup to their trophy collection on Wednesday

2. Tuchel, the Chelsea manager, had been informed by his team of statisticians that Kepa had a better record at saving penalties than first-choice goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, so the substitution was made in the 119th minute of a match that ended 1-1 after extra time.

3. The freshest player on a field of tired legs saved 1st from Aissa Mandi at 1-1, when Kai Havertz had incomprehensible  for Chelsea, then created the winning stop at 6-5 once Villarreal captain and 2010 World Cup winner Raul Albiol hit the ball to rock bottom left.

4. Mendy was one in all the primary to congratulate his mate, with Chelsea lifting the trophy for a second time.

5. “It was under no circumstances spontaneous,” Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel aforementioned of the goalkeeper switch.

6. “We had some statistics, we have a tendency to were well-prepared. Kepa is that the best proportion in saving penalties.

7. The analysing guys, the goalkeeper coaches showed me the information then we have a tendency to spoke with the players that this will happen.

8. “And since then they know and it’s fantastic how Edu accepts it,” added the German. “Kepa is better in this discipline and these guys are true team players.”

9. Mendy said he had no hard feelings at all. “Of course I’m happy because we won,” the Senegal international told BT Sport television.

10. Kepa memorably refused to come off near the end of the English League Cup final in 2019, despite being called to the bench by then-manager Maurizio Sarri. Backup keeper Willy Caballero, a penalty specialist, was ready to come on as a replacement and it led to Sarri almost storming off down the tunnel at Wembley Stadium.

11. Wednesday's match -- billed as the most prestigious ever to be staged in Northern Ireland -- was played in front of 13,000 people, with Windsor Park at 70% capacity during the pandemic and spectators required to wear face masks.