Chelsea’s goalkeeping conundrum deepened as Robert Sanchez endured another poor performance in their 3-1 loss to Manchester City, while Djordje Petrovic continued to thrive in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg.
Sanchez, who has been under pressure in recent weeks, made a series of errors at the Etihad Stadium. In the first half, he spilled a shot directly into the path of Omar Marmoush, who tapped the ball into the net, though the goal was disallowed for offside.
Sanchez’s most costly mistake came after halftime when he rushed off his line unnecessarily, allowing Erling Haaland to lob the ball into an unguarded net.
Meanwhile, Petrovic, on loan at Strasbourg, delivered another impressive performance in a 2-1 victory over Lille, helping the French side extend their unbeaten run.
The Serbian keeper, who was sidelined at Chelsea following the arrival of Filip Jorgensen, has been a revelation for Strasbourg.
Last season, he featured in 31 matches for Chelsea under Mauricio Pochettino but was deemed surplus to requirements by new manager Enzo Maresca.
Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior was full of praise for Petrovic, calling him a “world-class goalkeeper” after his latest display. Rosenior highlighted Petrovic’s progress and his vital contributions to the team’s success.
Back in England, Maresca defended Sanchez despite his repeated mistakes, emphasizing that the Spaniard is aware of the need to improve. “He knows he has to do better,” Maresca said after the defeat to City.
“The good thing is that Robert himself recognizes the mistakes he’s made. We still trust him, but we’ll assess his reaction during the week before deciding on the next lineup.”
As Petrovic cements his reputation in Ligue 1, Chelsea faces tough questions about their decision to let him leave while sticking with an inconsistent Sanchez in goal.