Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola was shocked to learn that Champions League winner Petr Cech has been named in Frank Lampard's Premier League side for the 2020-21 campaign.
And he believes that the 38-year-old has still got it should he be called upon between now and the end of the season.
Cech will act as the club's fourth-choice goalkeeper this term with the club looking to protect themselves from all eventualities during the coronavirus pandemic.
Chelsea's team of goalkeepers (Edouard Mendy, Willy Caballero and Kepa Arrizabalaga) will continue training together at Cobham Training Ground but Cech will keep himself fit alone incase the three fall foul of a coronavirus outbreak.
“I’m totally surprised by that,” Zola told talkSPORT Breakfast as he found out about the surprise decision. “At 38 he is, especially for a goalkeeper, at an age where nowadays it is quite normal.
“Petr has got unbelievable ability and experience, but I don’t know the condition of his body right now to be honest.
“But with his experience and ability as a goalkeeper, there is no doubt he can do it.”
Talk of Cech being named in Lampard's side led fans to speculate that Kepa had fallen even further down the pecking order.
The 26-year-old's Chelsea future is now in serious question after he once again committed a mistake at the weekend while stepping in for Mendy, this time against Southampton.
He continued: “I know [Kepa] is very young and he came to Chelsea for big money and that is a big burden to carry on your shoulders - and in a way this is probably affecting him.
“I could understand a little bit of difficulty, but this is going beyond what was expected and it surprised me.
“And I am sorry for the boy because he is a good boy and a good goalkeeper.
“He has to pick himself up and do what he can do and show people he is different because I believe he has got potential.”
