Kepa Arrizabalaga has done all he can to earn a spot in Saturday's Club World Cup final.
Not only did his second-half stops maintain Chelsea's slim lead and ensure the Blues made the final, but his performances this season have been highly encouraging, given his stock was also at an all-time low before Thomas Tuchel arrived.
But with Edouard Mendy back from a triumphant AFCON campaign with Senegal, Tuchel now faces a similar dilemma he had preceding the FA Cup final last year against Leicester City.
Mendy was performing to a high level in the Premier League and Champions League, but Tuchel stuck with the man signed for £71m in 2018, who had played all the rounds of the FA Cup last season.
Youri Tielemans long-range strike was enough to win a close final as Chelsea suffered one of their lowest moments under Tuchel so far.
Given Kepa's fragility with shots from distance, his positioning and height to reach Tielemans shot was a point of contention after the game, citing Mendy's bigger stature more suited to prevent the goal from happening.
The Belgian's shot was still precise and well-executed, but regret was felt after the game.
Tuchel made a similar error of judgement to start Marcos Alonso over Ben Chilwell in the same game, Chilwell coming on later in the final and having an equaliser controversially ruled out by VAR.
The lead up to Saturday's final against Palmeiras differs from the build-up for the Leicester game last May.
Before the FA Cup tie, Kepa had started in the disappointing Premier League loss to Arsenal at home, with miscommunication from a Jorginho backpass leading to Emile Smith Rowe's winning goal.
This time, Kepa's two standout performances to help Chelsea beat Plymouth in the FA Cup and Al-Hilal has massively altered the narrative around the Spaniard. His six clean sheets this season across three competitions has strengthened his reputation.
But Mendy is still Chelsea's first-choice option and has been an outstanding addition since his £22m arrival from Rennes in September 2020.
His influence on route to the Champions League final was critical, and his early displays during this Premier League were going above expectation to win Chelsea key points.
His overall height and dominance from set plays are an obvious advantage over his peer, and technically his positioning to make big saves has proved vital.
"In the cup, he did a big performance to save the penalty." Tuchel's assistant Zsolt Low said on Kepa after reaching the final.
"Today, when we needed him, he was there and made one big shape. He's in very good shape. He plays and trains well. We're lucky to have him.
In the next days, we have to decide who plays the final. We're waiting for Thomas' opinion and the goalkeeping coaches before we take the decision for the final."
For some, it may seem cruel to switch for the final given Kepa's strong form and confidence, but Tuchel must be wary of repeating the error he made for a tense FA Cup.
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