Chelsea have fined goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga a week’s wages after he refused to leave the field during the Carabao Cup Final when Maurizio Sarri wanted to substitute him.
The Spaniard seemed to be suffering with cramp in the final few minutes of extra-time and Sarri decided to make a change and bring on veteran Willy Caballero for the final moments of the game, plus a potential penalty shootout.
However, Kepa refused to leave the field as he thought he was fit enough to continue and as such, Sarri went into a fit of rage on the sidelines.
Both Kepa and Sarri issued statements on the club’s official website. They read as such:
Kepa:
I was very happy to play in my first Cup Final for Chelsea yesterday and very proud of the team performance. I have thought a lot more about yesterday’s events. Although there was a misunderstanding, on reflection, I made a big mistake with how I handled the situation. I wanted to take the time today to apologise fully and in person to the coach, to Willy, my team-mates and to the club. I have done this and now I want to offer the same apology to the fans. I will learn from this episode and will accept any punishment or discipline the club decides is appropriate.
Sarri:
Kepa and I have spoken about the incident. It was a good conversation. There was a misunderstanding yesterday but he realises he made a big mistake in the way he reacted. He has apologised to me, his team-mates and the club. It is up to the club if they want to discipline him according to the club rules, but for me this matter is now closed. The team performance as a whole was extremely positive and it is a shame to see how this incident has overshadowed our efforts in what was a very competitive Cup Final. Everyone’s focus is now on the next game and we must all now put this behind us.
