Chelsea goalkeeper refuses to be subbed
Watching goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga appearing to struggle with cramp, and with a penalty shootout looming to settle the League Cup final, Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri summoned a substitute from the bench. Kepa was furious.
Wildly gesticulating with his arms, the world’s most expensive goalkeeper forcibly indicated to Sarri he would be ready to face penalties against Manchester City with the Wembley showpiece locked at 0-0 and extra time about to end.
But Sarri was determined to bring on Willy Caballero, who saved three spot kicks in the 2016 League Cup final while in City’s winning side.
So Kepa, who joined Chelsea in August for €80 million (then NZ$132.5 million), simply refused to leave the field.
Publicly humiliated with his authority undermined, Sarri was furious and initially headed down the tunnel before returning just in time for extra time to end.
In the shootout, Kepa made only one save from Leroy Sane and was beaten four times as Raheem Sterling completed a 4-3 victory on penalties to defend City’s title and keep the team in contention for a quadruple.
After collecting his medal, Sarri sought to controversy.
‘‘It was a big misunderstanding,’’ Sarri said. ‘‘I understood the goalkeeper had cramp and for me he was unable to go to penalties but the problem was not cramp so he was able to go to penalties.’’
With Kepa offering no immediate public explanation, it was left to Sarri to runners-up defuse the do the talking.
‘‘Kepa was right but in the wrong way,’’ Sarri said. ‘‘He was right for the motivation but not for the conduct.’’
The insubordination exposes the player power that has appeared to often cause problems for Chelsea managers. It leaves the 60-year-old Sarri without a trophy in his career and Kepa’s defiance adds to the manager’s problems with Chelsea down to sixth in the Premier League.
The episode took the focus off Pep Guardiola winning his third major trophy in three seasons at City.
City did lose top spot in the Premier League yesterday after Liverpool drew 0-0 at Manchester United. But City are only a point behind the Reds and the Abu Dhabi-owned team remains in contention for the Champions League and FA Cup as well.
– AP