Maurizio Sarri has come out to say that his goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga did the right thing, but in a wrong way after refusing to leave the pitch in a substitution that would’ve seen Chelsea’s second goalkeeper be between the sticks for the penalty shoot-out.
A visibly annoyed Kepa ignored Sarri’s attempts to get him subbed off for Willy Caballero in the final seconds of Sunday’s clash, making Sarri angry as well till he resorted to letting him be.
His words, “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. I realised 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.”
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