We have never seen anything like this before. In the dying moments of League Cup final extra time it appeared that Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa needed to be taken off due to injury. Maurizio Sarri beckoned backup Willy Caballero to come on, and it looked as though the former City player would have the chance to get one over on his old club.
Kepa then claimed that he was fit to carry on, and did not look happy about being carted off. In fact, he simply refused to go. With his manager waving him off the field, he said put. Sarri went nuts, and understandably so. Take a look at this:
😳 - Have you EVER seen anything like it!?
Maurizio Sarri tries to substitute Kepa Arrizabalaga for Willy Caballero, but Kepa refuses to come off and Sarri is absolutely FURIOUS! 😡 pic.twitter.com/Q81v6ry3Kk— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 24, 2019
Sarri had enough, and nearly walked down the tunnel. It is also worth mentioning that Caballero is a penalty specialist, having come up trumps a number of times in his career in such situations.
We have seen player power at play in football before, but never quite like this. This screams of a club that is deep in dysfunction, and Sarri seems to have lost the respect of his players.
Kepa should be ashamed of himself, and you have to pity his Italian manager at this stage.
