‘You can see it at Manchester City and at Liverpool – two good goalkeepers who are ready to play. So you have to be the best for yourself but for the team also because when the coach puts you on the pitch, you have to show why he called you.
‘Every time you have to show it, and you have to push each other at training. It’s competition and Kepa, me or Marcus [Bettinelli], we want to be the best for the team.’
Two sources of energy are helping Mendy make the most of his early months at Chelsea, the support he is now feeling from the stands for the first time in England, and the drive from his manager Thomas Tuchel.
‘Last year we didn’t play in front of the fans but now with the situation we are lucky, we can play in full stadiums and it is quite an atmosphere at Stamford Bridge,’ says our goalie.