At today’s marathon Carabao Cup Final, in which Manchester City beat Chelsea in a penalty shoot-out, Chelsea Manager Maurizio Sarri attempted to sub off goalkeeper Kepa Arrizalabalaga, but the shot-stopper blatantly refused. His insubordination caused Sarri to become irate, and video of the incident went viral (watch the video at this link) on the internet all over the world.
After the match, both men offered their explanation as to what happened.
Kepa Arrizabalaga channeling his inner Ye https://t.co/U5sE6pl0sZ
— Melissa Reddy (@MelissaReddy_) February 24, 2019
“It was a big misunderstanding. I understood he had cramp, so I didn’t want the goalkeeper to go to the penalties in that physical condition,” Sarri said at Wembley Stadium after the match.
“I realized the situation after three or four minutes when the doctor arrived on the bench. I wanted Caballero on the pitch, but the goalkeeper wanted to let me know he was in condition to go to the penalties. It was only a big misunderstanding. Kepa was right, but in the wrong way.”
“Wrong in the way he conducted himself, but mentally he was right because he was able to go to the penalties.”
“Kepa only said: ‘No, no, I’m very well and able to continue.’ He understood I wanted to change for an injury. He was only telling me his word, saying he was really very well.”
“So I think that, in 120 minutes, a discussion can happen with the players. I think we have to concentrate on football.”
https://twitter.com/jamiew_tc/status/1099755732197621760
Kepa said it was all a misunderstanding and offered up an apology.
“I have to say it was misunderstood. In no moment was it my intention to disobey, or anything like that with the boss,” said Kepa.
“Just that it was misunderstood, because I had been attended to by the medics twice, and he thought that I wasn’t in condition to continue. It was two or three minutes of confusion until the medics got to the bench, and they explained everything well.”
“This was nothing to do with the problems I had this week, with [my hamstring]. It wasn’t that. And, well, it was misunderstood. Because he thought I couldn’t continue, and — fundamentally — I was trying to say that physically I was fine.”
“I know if you see it from outside, I don’t know how it went out, it is not the best image. I have spoken with the boss. I think it was misunderstood. I understand that on television, on social media, they’re talking about this, but I am here to explain it, to say that it wasn’t my intention to go against the manager.”
“We have spoken now, and I was only trying to say I’m fine. He thought I wasn’t fine. It was in tense moments, with a lot happening …”
Kepa also posted the following bilingual message on his official verified Twitter account:
— Kepa Arrizabalaga (@kepa_46) February 24, 2019
Kepa, Sarri and the rest of Chelsea will welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Stamford Bridge in Premier League action on Wednesday.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.