Chelsea will once again be represented in a major international final this Sunday when Edouard Mendy lines up in goal for Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations showpiece.
Sadio Mane fired The Lions of Teranga into the final in Cameroon, grabbing a goal and an assist in a 3-1 victory over Burkina Faso, a game in which Mendy had little to do.
That is likely to be different on Sunday with Senegal facing either Egypt or the hosts for the grand prize.
Mendy becomes the fifth Blues player to take part in a major final in the past 12 months after Jorginho, Emerson Palmieri and Mason Mount played in the Euro 2020 final and Thiago Silva helped Brazil to the Copa America final.
While Thomas Tuchel is bound to be delighted for his number one shot-stopper, Senegal's success does offer up a selection headache ahead of Chelsea's FIFA Club World Cup campaign, set to finally get underway next week.
Initially scheduled to be hosted in Japan at the end of 2021, FIFA were forced to rearrange following a significant Covid-19 outbreak in the country.
Finally, it was decided that the United Arab Emirates would play host once more and February was confirmed as the month the action would commence.
Chelsea start proceedings in the semi-finals on Wednesday and will face one of Al-Jazira, Al Hilal or Pirae, depending on how the first round and quarter-final clashes pan out.
But with Monday likely being the earliest Mendy will able to join up with the Blues, Tuchel will be left pondering whether to stick with Kepa Arrizabalaga or choose his No.1.
It is not like the Senegal No.1 will be short of match practice, but having taken over as first choice for the past month, sticking with Kepa may be the safer option in a tournament Tuchel is eager to win.
"I have to say once you are in it you are pretty excited,’" he told the club's official website.
"Once you are not in it, it is a competition that has not the highest focus on and highest value. It seems like this in Europe, or only for me.
"It is a big opportunity to win an extraordinary trophy which is far from daily business and that is why we will do anything to take the chance to make it happen."
