Bad news for Spain and Luis de la Fuente. Robert Sánchez (Cartagena, 1997), who had returned to the national team coinciding with the absence of injury of Unai Simon, seems to have lost (again) his owner status in Chelsea.
His good work with the Brighton – he became one of the most prominent goalkeepers of the Premier – earned him to debut with Spain under Luis Enrique’s orders in 2021 and to sign for Chelsea, a year and a half ago, in exchange for 23 Millions of euros.
Robert Sánchez signs with Chelsea.
Things in ‘The Bridge’ have not gone as expected. It began last season, with Pochettino, as a starter, but, after 16 days, in the 2-0 defeat against Everton, he suffered an inappropriate knee injury that forced him to give the position to Djordje Petrovic.
He reappeared, played a couple of FA Cup matches between February and March, but a new injury left him ‘out of combat’ in the final section of the course. Hence, finally, the ‘year’ will close with 21 games played, 30 goals received and five goals to zero.
Despite the signing of Filip Jörgensen, former Villarreal, Robert Sánchez was reinforced with the arrival of Enzo Maresca and the outputs (transferred) of Kepa and Petrovic. He also benefited the fact that Ben Roberts, with whom he had agreed both in Brighton and Chelsea, was appointed ‘Chief of Porters’.
Hence, the fact that the Spanish international started the season as ‘number 1’: ” play.
We are very happy with him. It gives us what we need a goalkeeper and is doing very well in the construction of the game
Enzo Maresca
However, at the end of October, the debate of the goal was revived. “Jörgensen is doing it fantastically in the Carabao and in the conference, but, at the moment, there is no doubt: number 1 is Robert,” Maresca said trying to settle the controversy.
“Who is going to play? Robert Sánchez and 10 more,” he insisted again at the beginning of December. “You mention the mistakes, but … how many times has it saved us? More than four I would say. There is no problem, everyone we commit failures,” he reiterated days later.
You mention the mistakes, but … how many times has it saved us?
Enzo Maresca
At the end of January, however, something changed. “Thinking this season, I have no doubt [de que debe ser titular]but in the future I don’t know. He is improving, but there is still very, very, far from where I want it to be. ”
The defeat against Manchester City (3-1)-he was very marked for his false departure in Haaland-ended up being definitively relegating the bench … despite the nth defense of Maresca: “He is aware of that is making mistakes, but we trust him.
The Spanish international case is curious. It is true that it is, together with Arijanet Muric, Ipswich goalkeeper, the Premier player who has made more mistakes (5) who have ended in goal. But it is also, despite having been a substitute in the last two games, the second goalkeeper with the best percentage of premier stops (76.3%) and the sixth that has made the most stops (69).
Robert Sánchez.Driblab’s performance chart
Now, however, it is Robert Sánchez who will have to wait for a failure to play again. “Our goalkeeper, at the moment, is Filip Jörgensen,” says Maresca.
A solution that, in the words of the Chelsea coach, has taken Robert Sánchez’s ‘benefit’: “I already said that Filip’s solution also took it to give Robert time to recover physically and mentally.”
I placed Jörgensen as a starter to give Robert Sánchez time to recover physically and mentally
Enzo Maresca
We will see if it is permanent or temporary, but one thing is safe: Maresca does not want more debates in the goal. “The idea is not to change from goalkeeper to match,” he says.