Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has opened up about the moment he believes defined his season, choosing a big save in the 2025 Club World Cup Final 3-nil victory against Paris Saint-Germain as the one that truly stood out for him. The Spaniard, who has had plenty of busy nights in a Chelsea shirt, said the stop on Ousmane Dembele was one he still thinks about now.
Speaking on the latest episode of CFC Unlocked in a video released via the club’s official X account , Sanchez looked back at a handful of his best saves, but he didn’t hesitate much when asked which one made the biggest impact. For him, it was all about timing and the situation of the match.
He said:
I got some very good saves, I think. A couple of good ones in the final as well, which is always nice, you know? But the one to Dembele, I think it was very good. We were 2-nil already or maybe 3-nil, I can’t remember exactly. But against a team like PSG, if you give them a goal, maybe they get back into the game. It was a moment… yeah, that’s probably my favourite one, for sure.”
Watch the video below:
Softfootball understands that the save didn’t just show his reflexes; it showed his understanding of how quickly momentum can swing at the top level. Chelsea were cruising, but a goal for PSG at that point might have opened a door Sanchez wasn’t willing to leave unlocked. Stopping Dembele, who is the current Ballon d’Or winner, was never easy to read due to his footwork and unpredictability, practically sealed the win right there.
Sanchez arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2023 from Brighton for around £25 million, expected to grow into Chelsea’s long-term No. 1. His time in London hasn’t been without pressure or critique, but performances like the one against PSG remind fans why the club went for him in the first place.
Clean sheets in matches of that magnitude often stay with goalkeepers for years, and this one seems no different. For Sanchez, it wasn’t just a save, it was proof of the mentality he says you need to survive at a club where every little mistake is replayed again and again.
