Kepa has been warned he should brace himself for a "hard" time under returning Chelsea boss Frank Lampard.
The Spaniard started Lampard's first spell as Blues manager as first-choice goalkeeper, but lost his place to Edouard Mendy. After Lampard was replaced by Thomas Tuchel, Kepa launched an extraordinary attack on the Englishman's reign.
It is an attack that may now come back to bite him now that Lampard has been reinstalled at Stamford Bridge. The Blues legend will take charge for the rest of the season, with Todd Boehly having sacked Graham Potter after a dismal 31 games in charge.
And former Chelsea hero Mario Melchiot, who made more than 100 appearances for the club, believes Kepa could be in for a rough few months. The Dutchman warned Kepa he made a mistake in taking aim at Lampard and cautioned others against speaking out.
“You know how hard it will be for Kepa to be in the dressing room? You had a go at your coach and ten that coach comes back and now you have to sit with him. Oh my God… So Kepa, I don’t know what he is going to do," Melchiot told ESPNFC.
“The one piece of advice I want to give to any footballer: never talk about your coach in public, always do it directly. Don't do it in public, keep your mouth shut. You might meet him again.”
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Kepa made 33 Premier League appearances in Lampard's first season, but his role dwindled once Mendy arrived at Stamford Bridge. Once Lampard had departed, the keeper took the opportunity to fire a not-so-subtle blast at the former midfielder.
"I have enthusiasm, ambition, the desire to start, to enjoy and, above all, to play more. Being more games on the pitch. In the end, the one who decides is the coach. What you have to give him are the maximum possible reasons for him to choose you," he told Marca in April 2022.
"We came from a not so elaborate game [with Lampard], we didn't have to take the ball from behind, a less planned game, more to the free expression of the player, back and forth and less control.
"With Tuchel we have returned to control. It is true that in the Premier we were not close to the two above, but in the other tournaments we have been very competitive. Our goalkeeper participates a lot in the game, he has to be alert, know where he is pressing.
"He makes you have to make more decisions and be a very important part of the team's game output. The conversation with him is easy, on a day-to-day basis he is totally accessible to the players. I notice the affection and trust that he has in me."
Kepa earned the trust of Potter, finally retaking his place from Mendy. The Spaniard has made 29 appearances in all competitions this term, but could now find his chances are at a premium.
