Liverpool vs Chelsea: Thomas Tuchel defends Kepa's decisive miss in shoot-out defeat

Chelsea suffered a heart breaking penalty shoot-out defeat against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. The Blues matched their in-form rivals toe-to-toe throughout the regulation time but were not able to find a breakthrough. Both sides had goals disallowed – Joel Matip for Liverpool and Kai Havertz (two) and Romelu Lukaku for Chelsea. Not to mention that both goalkeepers – Caoimhin Kelleher and Edouard Mendy – also needed to stay alert for the entire duration, making incredible saves to keep the score remain goalless after 120 minutes of action. Liverpool prevailed in the lengthy penalty shoot-out 11-10 after Chelsea’s goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga skied his kick over the crossbar. 

The Blues’ manager Thomas Tuchel, however, stressed that Kepa doesn’t deserve any blame after coming off the bench for the shoot-out and missing the crucial kick. “It is bad for him, of course, but there is no blame. We took the decision, like we did last time in a penalty shoot-out, because Kepa is training with the players on a daily basis. They know how good he is, he simply has more time on the training ground to do these things than Edou who plays a lot more,” he said after the match, as per their club’s website.

“So everybody knows how good he is, how difficult it is to shoot against him so that played a huge part in how well we shot today. Unfortunately he could not make a save, the penalties were brilliantly taken and it was a bit harsh on him today that he was the one to miss the one and only penalty, but there is no blame.”

READ MORE – Reds win Carabao Cup after Kepa Arrizabalaga misses decisive penalty

Thomas Tuchel: I take the responsibility

Tuchel insisted that he has no regrets about his decision and that if anyone has to take responsibility, it is himself. “I only take the decisions when I want to take them. I cannot rejudge me decisions when I know what is the outcome. We don’t know what would have happened if we had left Edou on the pitch. This is how it is, so no blame on him,” he added.

“Of course blame on me, I am the guy who makes the decisions. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it does not work out, but this is life as a football coach. Sometimes you bring on a player and he scores, sometimes you bring on a player and he makes a decisive mistake. This is what happens so no regrets and if someone has to take the blame it absolutely falls on me and I take the responsibility of course.”