Djordje Petrovic Looks to Build Off Chelsea Success at Strasbourg

Djordje Petrovic recorded his first clean sheet in Ligue 1 after RC Strasbourg defeated Olympique de Marseille 1-0 on Sunday night at Stade de la Meinau. A performance like the one against OM will go a long way in ensuring that the 24-year-old has a successful loan stint.

Petrovic arrived at Strasbourg from Chelsea this past summer transfer window, but before heading to Stamford Bridge, the shot-stopper spent two years in MLS with the New England Revolution.

During his time in the United States, Petrovic made 48 appearances for the Revolution and recorded 15 clean sheets. After playing for the MLS side from 2022 to 2023, he moved to the Premier League, joining the Blues in August 2023.

It wasn't until December 2023 that Petrovic made his Chelsea debut, coming off the bench following Robert Sánchez's injury during a match against Everton. He made his first start for Chelsea on December 16, 2023 against Sheffield United, recording his first Premier League clean sheet.

A few days later on December 19, 2023, Petrovic was the hero in the EFL Cup quarterfinal matchup against Newcastle United, making two saves as Chelsea won 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw. In an interview with the club's official website, Petrovic spoke about his debut and performance against the Magpies.

"When I saved the penalty to win the shootout, that is one of the best feelings of my career. This season, there have been good games and some big wins, but also other chances for us to learn. The Premier League is another level compared to the rest of Europe.

"Everything is so fast, so quick, you have less time to react and I felt I needed to work a lot before I started to play. I had to stay patient and not put pressure on myself. That’s normal in training, if you don’t play you want to push. But you can’t be frustrated, you need to believe in yourself and work and then hopefully everything comes from that."

Despite making 31 total appearances and recording seven clean sheets last season, Sánchez is the start at Chelsea, so rather than remain the No. 2 goalkeeper, Petrovic left the English side for Strasbourg to continue gaining experience as a starting goalkeeper.

The goalkeeper has made three Ligue 1 appearances, and following his clean sheet performance, he noted the transition from England to France while speaking to France Bleu Alsace.

"I'm enjoying myself here. Everyone, my teammates, and the coaching staff have done an amazing job making my transition from England to France easier. I have a big responsibility on my chest to show my quality because I played in the Premier League at the highest level, but I'm just focused about Strasbourg and about the next game."

Strasbourg is a young team, and players such as Petrovic will be crucial if they hope to deliver more surprise performances, similar to their win over Olympique Marseille.

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