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| Soccer Football - Spain's Kepa Arrizabalaga and David De Gea during a Nations League match warm up. |
Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri said the refusal of his goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to be substituted in Sunday’s League Cup final was the result of a “big misunderstanding”, adding that the Spaniard “was right but in the wrong way”.
Arrizabalaga appeared to be injured as he prevented Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero from scoring in the closing moments of extra time, and Sarri ordered his substitution before Chelsea went on to lose the final 4-3 in a penalty shootout.
But with the change already displayed to the stadium by the fourth official, and Chelsea’s reserve keeper Willy Caballero ready to come on, Kepa insisted he was fit to carry on and remained on the field to the visible anger of Sarri.
“It was a big misunderstanding because I understood that he had a cramp. So I didn’t want a keeper (to) go to penalties in that physical condition,” Sarri told reporters.
“The goalkeeper wanted only to let me know that he was in condition to go to the penalties,” the Italian said.
“It was only a big misunderstanding. Kepa was right, but in the wrong way.”