Chronicle Editor
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga resisted Maurizio Sarri’s attempt to substitute him late in extra time of the Carabao Cup final, which left his manager seething on the touchline.
Kepa had just been treated for cramp and, with the game at 0-0, Sarri was preparing to bring on reserve keeper Willy Caballero in his place before a penalty shootout.
But after some furious finger-wagging and screams of “NO!” Sarri was forced to give in.
Referee Jonathan Moss ran over to confirm whether Kepa was going off or not and Sarri, begrudgingly, backed down and then stormed off down the tunnel before quickly returning, leaving Caballero a bemused spectator.
Kepa went on to save Leroy Sane’s spot-kick – prompting a fist pump from Sarri – but Raheem Sterling netted the winning penalty as Manchester City won the shootout 4-3 to lift the Carabao Cup for a second year in a row.
Sarri didn’t react at full-time and went straight off the pitch, while his players looked dejected in defeat.
Former Blues striker Chris Sutton described the scenes as “mutiny at Chelsea” and said Kepa “should never play for the club again”.
The incident comes after weeks of speculation surrounding Sarri’s position as manager and concerns over his style of play, the so-called “Sarri-ball”.
“That should be his last performance in a Chelsea shirt,” Sutton told BBC Radio 5 live. “He’s a disgrace. I’ve never seen anything like it.
“If I was Sarri I would walk. You cannot be undermined. Why weren’t the players dragging Kepa off anyway?
“Kepa should be sacked, not Sarri. He’s been undermined – it’s the worst thing that can happen to a manager.”
Former England and Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas said it is clear “there’s a lack of respect” for the manager, but said Sarri showed “a lack of class” by storming off the pitch following defeat.
“His players have done him proud today,” Jenas told BBC Radio 5 live.
“They are an inferior team to Manchester City now and they took them all the way. For him not to be congratulating the opposition or consoling his players shows a lack of class for me.
“The fact he went inside and was not out there with his players is one thing, but it has to be infuriating for one of your players to categorically tell you to ‘do one’ and say I’m staying on this pitch.
“This is a huge blemish. It all boils down to what is going on between Sarri and his players. That does not happen – there’s a lack of respect somewhere along the line.”
— AFP.
Online Reporter