Despite what has been a disappointing year by Chelsea standards, Sunday still presented an opportunity for the Blues to win a trophy.
That didn’t happen. Instead, the temperature on manager Maurizio Sarri’s hot seat hit new level in the most embarrassing fashion.
As the Carabao Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester City remained scoreless through extra time, Sarri looked to substitute goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and have Willy Caballero in for the penalty shootout.
Kepa was having none of that. He waved Caballero off, refusing to leave the pitch. And Sarri did not take kindly to having his 24-year-old goalkeeper undermine him on a huge stage. The Chelsea manager threw a fit and briefly stormed off towards the tunnel.
It was a bizarre scene with more embarrassment for Chelsea. Kepa had a reasonable argument against being subbed off for a cold goalkeeper — the strategy was questionable. But that’s Sarri’s call to make.
Kepa had his way in showing up his manager and stayed in for the penalty shootout.
Kepa made one save in the shootout (and narrowly missed another), but he was unable to keep Chelsea’s hopes alive on Raheem Sterling’s winner.
That one sequence perfectly summed up Chelsea’s dysfunctional season.
Update: Kepa posted a statement to Twitter, which basically denied that he was disobeying his manager and failed to explain Sarri’s reaction altogether.
