When Petr Cech comes to reflect on a 20-year career that could yet finish with a 15th winners' medal, he will finally allow himself to watch the best moment of all. 

Cech will retire from playing at the end of this season, with his final appearance potentially coming in a Europa League final against the club with whom he won it all - Chelsea. 

Arsenal hold a 3-1 lead from the first leg of their semi-final against Valencia ahead of Thursday night’s second leg in Spain, in which Cech is aiming to extend his career for one more big match. 

The pinnacle for Cech was undoubtedly 2012, when the goalkeeper saved a penalty in extra-time from Arjen Robben and two in the shootout to clinch Chelsea’s famous Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich. 

But, such has been the 36-year-old’s determination to keep pushing himself and to keep achieving, he has never allowed himself to relive the drama of seven years ago. 

“I have to admit I’ve not watched the Champions League final,” said Cech. “ I’ve never seen the game.  I’ve seen a part of the shootout because my son was watching it.  And then I was in a hotel with the Chelsea team at dinner and there was a Champions League show on the TV and it went back to that. 

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“So there was me, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and JT, and by the end we were watching part of the shootout - they only showed the last couple of penalties.  But I've never watched the whole thing.  I haven't watched the 2008 final either.” 

Asked to explain why he has not yet watched the greatest night in Chelsea’s history, Cech explained: “These are moments you watch when you stop.  I like to live in the present.  Sometimes when people look back too often they lose track of the present. 

“If you always look to the past, it doesn't help.  You need to find ways to improve the situation in the present, so I try to keep focused on the present.  But once I sit down I can watch all the games I want.” 

Cech’s career high of winning the Champions League came six years after the moment that could so easily have ended his career, when he suffered a depressed skull fracture against Reading, which resulted in the Czech Republic international playing for the rest of his career in a helmet. 

“You don’t realise you sense with all the senses on your skin, on your hair and I have it covered now with the helmet,” said Cech. “ So everything behind me, you sense differently.  I had to learn how to scan more behind me because of the helmet.  That was the only change. 

“I had an advantage because I was for three days in a coma, so I don’t remember anything of the incident.  So to dive at somebody’s feet is just something I was doing before and I never thought about it. 

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“Everybody told me not to play again that season.  The aim from everybody was to leave the season alone, then we see how you go, train and then start pre-season.  But I was thinking ‘no way, I will do everything and see how it goes’. 

“I didn’t put any target on it and then after those three months, when you wait for the skull to heal and everything was fine, they said I could start training with the team.  Literally, on the third day I played because I knew I was training so well that I felt ready. 

“It was a question of whether there was an issue with post-traumatic stress, that was the risk.  But at the same time I took the risk and I felt happier every time I was on the pitch.  I had my own issues, but playing actually helped me.” 

Cech will finish with the most clean sheets in the Premier League, 202, and having also recorded the most clean sheets, 24, in a single season in 2004/05. 

And he could yet end with a final against Chelsea in Baku, but there would have been no chance of the most glorious of send-offs if Roman Abramovich had not given his personal blessing to a move across London to Arsenal four years ago. 

“He wasn’t too happy, but he knew I had done everything for Chelsea,” said Cech. “ It was his personal decision to say ‘OK, I don’t really like to see you in that shirt’ but it was my wish and because of all I had done for the club he kind of closed his eyes and said ‘OK, you can go’. 

“I had a meeting at his house.  We sat down, I expressed the reasons why and everybody had to take a decision, and I’m glad they made it.  I was nervous because this is what I wanted to do and I didn’t have a plan B! 

Cech arrived in the Premier League with Chelsea in the summer of 2004 credit: ACTION IMAGES

“I had offers from everywhere, but I didn’t really have a Plan B and I was not thinking about anything else, and the reason why was the Premier League.  It’s the best league and you don’t want to leave it.  The best players should play in the best league.” 

The fact Cech has already played against another of his former clubs Rennes, from where Chelsea signed him for £7million in 2004, has given the prospect of facing the Blues in the final a feeling of destiny. 

“I was laughing,” he said. “ I was saying we would go to Prague for one game, then go to Rennes and then the final against Chelsea.  Then we went to Rennes and then the quarter-final draw was made and you look at the way Arsenal and Chelsea are kept apart and you go ‘hmm.  Ok, it’s coming’.” 

Chelsea are drawing 1-1 in their semi-final against Eintracht Frankfurt ahead of Thursday night’s second leg at Stamford Bridge and Cech added: “It looks a big possibility with us (Arsenal) being in a good position and them having the second game at home. 

“I don’t know if it’s a dream scenario or not.  You have the last game of your career, a European final and then at the end you have an emotional attachment to the opposition team from the past, which probably is a bit too much.  But if it happens it happens.  It’s the way it is.” 

Cech is preparing for the final match of his 20-year career credit: ARSENAL FC

As first revealed by Telegraph Sport, Chelsea are preparing a technical role for Cech to take on some of the responsibilities left behind by former sporting director Michael Emenalo should he choose to accept it. 

Cech confirmed he has offers on the table and asked if a return to Chelsea at some stage is inevitable, he replied: “I have to say, I keep my door open.  I will not judge the opportunity which comes by where, but what it is.  What I feel is the best opportunity for me, this is what I'll take.” 

There is also a record to promote, as Cech has released a charity single with Queen drummer Roger Taylor called ‘That’s Football’, which is released on Thursday to raise money for the Willow Foundation. 

A drummer himself, Cech believes his chosen profession and hobby are intertwined.  He said: “Everyone tells you that if the drummer makes a mistake the whole thing falls apart.  It’s the same with goalkeeping.  If you drop a ball and someone tucks it in, then you have no way out.  There’s a big similarity with drumming and goalkeeping - maybe that’s why I like it.” 

“That’s Football” - Petr Cech and Roger Taylor - released on Virgin Records - available to download from midday Thursday on Spotify and iTunes.  All proceeds to The Willow Foundation