EAGLE-EYED fans have spotted how two former Chelsea stars helped Real Madrid to penalty shoot-out success over Manchester City.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side knocked out the Champions League holders 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at the Etihad.
City had gotten off to a great start in the shoot-out, with Ederson saving Luka Modric’s penalty.
But saves from Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic by Andriy Lunin saw City crash out.
Chelsea have not been in Europe this season, following a disastrous campaign last time out.
But some Blues supporters noticed that two of their old boys helped Real Madrid to spot kicks success.
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Ahead of the shoot-out, Kepa Arrizabalaga, on loan from Chelsea, could be seen giving Lunin advice.
The Spaniard has always fancied himself as something of a penalties specialist, having infamously refused to go off during the 2019 Carabao Cup final.
Thomas Tuchel always trusted Kepa in shoot-outs, even bringing him on as a 119th minute substitute to win the 2021 Uefa Super Cup with Chelsea.
It backfired in the 2022 Carabao Cup final, however, when Kepa failed to save any of Liverpool’s 11 penalties, before whacking his own over the bar.
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Whatever he said on this occasion appeared to do the trick, with Lunin the hero.
Kepa’s former Chelsea team-mate Antonio Rudiger also had a part to play.
As fellow Chelsea old boy Kovacic stepped up to take his kick, Rudiger could be seen pointing which way the Croatian would go.
Silva’s tame spot kick down the middle was labelled the “worst penalty ever” online.
After the triumph, modest Lunin explained his success.
The Ukrainian, 25, said: “I needed to take a risk with one of the kicks, we picked one (to stay in the middle) and thank goodness it worked out in our favour.
“It’s an away Champions League game and we went through a lot of suffering… but I’m very grateful to the team for everything they’ve fought for.
“I can’t imagine myself running like my team-mates did today.”
He also told Marca: “We prepared it with the goalkeeping coach and there were three players with whom we had doubts about whether to stay in the middle or not.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
