The Spanish national arrived on loan from Chelsea in an urgent substitution for Thibaut Courtois, who suffered a severe knee injury in August. However, Kepa encountered his own injury, leading to a competition for the starting goalkeeper position in Madrid with Andriy Lunin.
Despite Kepa’s return to fitness and a string of confident performances, Lunin was favored. Yet, coach Carlo Ancelotti reinstated Kepa for the final two matches of the year, stating that the first-choice decision for the season’s resumption remains undecided.
“I don’t have the idea of rotating the goalkeepers,” Ancelotti informed reporters before their midweek victory at Alaves. “They are both doing well. Lunin has progressed a lot and shown a lot of confidence. Kepa has maintained his level too. When Kepa recovered from injury, I liked rewarding both players. I will choose one of the two in the second half of the season.”
Chelsea’s staggering €80 million (£70m/$88m) payment to Athletic Bilbao for Kepa’s services in 2018 remains the record fee for a goalkeeper by a significant margin. However, despite a promising start in Madrid with Kepa making notable saves, doubts persist about his aerial prowess and control of the penalty area, making a permanent stay in the Spanish capital highly improbable, according to reports in AS.
The 29-year-old anxiously awaits Ancelotti’s lineup for the new year’s first match when Madrid takes on Real Mallorca at the Santiago Bernabeu on January 3rd.
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Kepa Arrizabalaga Revuelta
This season he played in total 11 times for 990 minutes for La Liga.
He made 26 saves and conceded 7 goals. He received 1 yellow card and no red cards.
His team is currently 1st in La Liga. In the last match Real Madrid won 1-0 against Deportivo Alavés.
Real Madrid performance and stats
Real Madrid is currently 1st in the La Liga with 45 points.
In the last 18 games, it has won 14 times, drawn 3 times, and lost once. In its last match, Real Madrid won 0-1 against Deportivo Alavés.
It has a positive goal difference after scoring 39 goals and conceding 11.