Petr Cech is set to make a sensational return to the pitch for Chelsea as he is set to play for the development squad against Tottenham in a Premier League 2 fixture on Monday.
Cech who is Chelsea’s technical and performance director has not played competitively since the Europa League final in May 2019.
But he has been keeping fit and training with Frank Lampard’s squad after he was registered as emergency cover in their Premier League squad list in October.
According to the Athletic, after hanging up his boots, Cech kept active by partaking in another passion of his in ice hockey, but he is now back in the picture at Cobham and is set to put on his gloves once again.
Cech’s surprise return has become the result of several factors at Chelsea that speak for the manic nature of football in the current climate.
Lucas Bergstrom, the side’s regular goalkeeper, played for the Under-18 side on Saturday and they do not want him playing two matches in three days.
Croatian goalkeeper Karlo Ziger would usually be the next choice, but he is currently part of the first-team bubble and they would rather he remain with Frank Lampard’s team rather than go through the hassle of covid-19 testing before re-joining the first team.
Whilst Cech is also part of the bubble, Zigar is viewed as higher up the ranks than Cech, therefore they are more willing to sacrifice the Champions League winner for the Premier League 2 match.
Whilst it is unclear as to why Sami Tlemcani, another youth prospect, is seemingly unable to step in, the club view the experience for Cech as crucial if he is then needed to step in for the first-team some point soon.
Whilst the Czech stopper is part of Lampard’s squad, club insiders revealed that he has never been selected for training games ahead of established first-team goalkeepers Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Willy Caballero.
