Kepa to escape Chelsea punishment despite defying Sarri in Carabao Cup final

February 25, 2019 By Ali M.

Topics: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Maurizio Sarri, Chelsea, Manchester City, Carabao Cup

It looks like the Spaniard won't be disciplined despite refusing to come off at the command of his manager.

In what was the most shocking moment of Sunday's Carabao Cup final, Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to leave the pitch despite the manager. The Spaniard's number had gone up and was ordered to come off, but his defiance has now caused an uproar.

Despite all of this, the world's most expensive goalkeeper looks set to escape punishment from the Blues. According to the Evening Standard, the 24-year-old will not be disciplined by the club for failing to respect the gaffer.

This comes after both the manager and player moved to play down the incident. First Sarri spoke of the matter in his post-match press conference, stating that it was a misunderstanding but criticized the goalkeeper for his conduct nonetheless.

Kepa then took to social media to shine light on the incident, tweeting: "The coach thought I was not in a position to play on and my intention was to express that I was in good condition to continue helping the team, while the docs that had treated me arrived at the bench to give the message.

"I feel the image that has been portrayed was not my intention. I have full respect for the coach and his authority."

Regardless, the damage is done and many are now questioning whether Sarri reigns supreme in the dressing room. There have been several reports suggesting that the Italian does not hold full authority over the players, something which is seen as a factor for the team's recent slump.

The London giant went on to lose the English League Cup final on penalties, as Kepa's single save was not enough to bring the trophy to Stamford Bridge. While Hazard and Co. stepped up their performance and put in a fine display for the full 120 minutes, all of that has been overshadowed by the incident involving the manager and goalkeeper.

The former Napoli boss was infuriated and left the dugout in anger before returning and had to be held back by Rudiger at the end of the second extra-time half. It remains to be seen whether Sarri will demote Kepa to the bench as punishment for their upcoming clash, a crucial home derby against Tottenham in the league.