Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is relishing a League Cup semi-final against former club Chelsea after his penalty heroics against Crystal Palace.
ARSENAL goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is relishing the prospect of knocking former club Chelsea out of the League Cup following his key role in a penalty shootout win over Crystal Palace.
The Gunners progressed to the semi-finals after Kepa saved Maxence Lacroix’s spot-kick in a dramatic 8-7 shootout success following a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Kepa spent seven years with Chelsea before moving to north London in pre-season and could now deny his old side a spot in the first major final of the campaign.
“Right now, if you want a trophy, and that’s something that we want, we have to fight against good teams,” Kepa said.
“Both semi-finals are big games, and it’s going to be tough, but we’ll prepare well for the game, and we’ll be ready and we’ll go for it.”
Arsenal will take on Chelsea over two legs for a place at Wembley, with the first match at Stamford Bridge on January 14.
The Gunners were on course to reach the semi-finals in regulation time before Marc Guehi’s late equaliser.
“We’ve conceded in a couple of games in the last minute so it’s something that we have to look at,” said Kepa, who is deputising for first-choice keeper David Raya.
The 31-year-old Spaniard added that the team was happy to be in the next round after a huge effort.
“Credit to the guys, they took amazing penalties,” he said.
“They kept us in the game, and they gave me an opportunity to make a save.”
Kepa explained that emotionally, a goalkeeper must stay focused and strong after conceding a late goal before a shootout.
“You need to 100 percent be focused on your penalty takers, you need to save,” he said.
“So it was a change of mindset, and it worked.”
Kepa has made all three of his Arsenal appearances so far in the League Cup.
