Goalkeeper for Bournemouth in the Premier League this season, Kepa Arrizabalaga has broken his silence to discuss his brief spell at Real Madrid last season. From being a starter to a backup behind Andriy Lunin, the 30-year-old Spanish goalkeeper reveals what caused the change.
Now aged 30, Kepa can take pride in his career, which is quite significant. Revealed at Athletic Bilbao, the Spanish goalkeeper proved his worth in La Liga before arriving in the Premier League, notably with Chelsea in 2018. Signed by the Blues for €80 million at the time, the native of Ondarroa became the most expensive goalkeeper in history after that transfer. In goal for Chelsea, he delivered many great performances, as well as a few more difficult ones. In a club where competition is fierce at every position, with multiple players vying for each role, Kepa Arrizabalaga made his move to Real Madrid in August 2023.
Kepa’s twist of fate at Madrid
As he was preparing to face a new season competing with a newly signed goalkeeper (Robert Sanchez), the Spanish international received a phone call from Real Madrid, who were urgently seeking a goalkeeper to cover for the knee injury of Thibaut Courtois. Without hesitation, Kepa Arrizabalaga seized the opportunity and arrived in Madrid on loan, without a purchase option, as the new number 1 goalkeeper for the season. Quickly becoming the starter ahead of Andriy Lunin, he played a series of matches.
Unfortunately, an injury would disrupt things in the autumn. While waiting for his chance, the Ukrainian goalkeeper took advantage of Kepa’s injury to deliver strong performances in goal for Real Madrid. Now firmly in Carlo Ancelotti’s plans, Andriy Lunin was never again relegated to the bench after Kepa’s return. To address this, the Madrid manager decided to alternate between the two goalkeepers, giving the most crucial matches to the 26-year-old Ukrainian.
“I had my ups and downs”
Arriving to replace Courtois, Kepa Arrizabalaga ended up as a backup in the Champions League and even in La Liga. By the end of the season, the Chelsea goalkeeper had played 20 matches for Madrid, compared to 30 (including 8 in the Champions League) for Lunin. Returning to England after this setback, the Spanish goalkeeper had to go on loan to Bournemouth for the current season. In the shadows of the Premier League, he has spoken out about his situation.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Arrizabalaga reflected on his time at Madrid with fond memories, pointing to his injury as the key factor behind the change in his status. “Real Madrid? Just one year, but I loved it. Winning La Liga and the Champions League. I had my highs and lows. I was a starter, I got injured, and I started playing less, but I felt important in the team. We only lost two matches in 60-70 games,” he revealed.
It must be said, the Spanish goalkeeper left a good impression at Madrid. Despite being demoted, he remained very close to Lunin, whom he also helped with valuable advice during the penalty shootout against Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals.
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