Football, as we know, is a game of fine margins. Singular moments can have a huge impact on a team’s fortunes. To mark the anniversary of Robert Sanchez signing for Chelsea two years ago, we look at one such instance when the goalkeeper produced a remarkable save that ended up having a sizeable bearing on our 2024/25 campaign.
The game in question was back in October, our last before that month’s international break. The Blues had just recorded impressive victories against West Ham and Brighton and welcomed Nottingham Forest, who had started the season brightly, to Stamford Bridge.
An entertaining encounter was locked at 1-1 heading into 13 minutes of injury time. In the fifth of those, Christopher Nkunku looked set to nod us in front but was thwarted by a point-blank stop from Matz Sels, Sanchez’s opposite number.
Forest kept pushing for a winner, too, despite being down to ten men. They won a corner which was played short to Ola Aina. Our former defender worked the ball onto his right foot before sending over a cross that was met by the head of Jota Silva.
His technique was perfect, planting his effort into the ground, the ball skipping off the turf, destined for the far corner of the Shed End.
Somehow, though, Sanchez was equal to it, showing remarkable reflexes to claw the ball around the post. Forest heads, on the pitch and behind the goal, were in hands. They could scarcely believe the brilliance of the save they had just witnessed. It was one that denied Forest all three points, and ensured Chelsea earned one from a compelling contest. Unsurprisingly, it was named the Premier League’s Save of the Month for October.
As the season progressed, both clubs continued to impress in the league. Before long, it became apparent both were in contention for a Champions League berth. It was a battle that would go down to the final day, when we travelled to the City Ground.
Chelsea started the day a point above Forest, and with our destiny in our own hands. Had Sanchez not saved Jota Silva’s header nearly eight months earlier, that wouldn’t have been the case. On the day, the Spaniard again excelled against the Reds, displaying impeccable handling in a hard-fought affair.
Levi Colwill’s goal secured us fourth place, while Sanchez carried that good form into the Club World Cup, where he won the Golden Glove award. It provided the perfect finale to his second season in blue. And one save in particular should not be forgotten, for its quality or its significance.