Kepa Arrizabalaga breaks silence after shocking row with Maurizio Sarri

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa refused to come off during the League Cup final against Manchester City [Courtesy]

Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga insisted he did not mean to disobey Maurizio Sarri after their incredible Wembley bust-up.

Kepa REFUSED to come off in extra time of the marathon Carabao Cup final even though Sarri put the substitutes’ board up when his keeper suffered cramp with sub keeper Willy Caballero ready to come on.

It caused widespread outrage at the Spanish keeper disobeying his manager’s orders and Kepa then could not stop Chelsea from defeat in the shoot-out, despite making a save from Leroy Sane.

But Kepa said: “I have to say it was misunderstood. In no moment was it my intention to disobey, or anything like that with the boss. Just that it was misunderstood, because I had been attended to by the medics twice, and he thought that I wasn’t in condition to continue.

“It was two or three minutes of confusion until the medics got to the bench, and they explained everything well. This was nothing to do with the problems I had this week, with [hamstring] it wasn’t that. 

“And, well, it was misunderstood. Because he thought I couldn’t continue, and - fundamentally - I was trying to say that physically I was fine.

“I thought the bench felt I couldn’t continue because it was the second time I’d gone to ground. It was extra-time. We’d run a lot so [going to ground] was also a way of stopping the match.

“We’d had a few moments suffering, defending, so it was to stop the match and for the team to draw breath and not a moment where I was saying I couldn’t continue. I know everyone is talking a lot about this, but it’s my opinion, how I lived it from inside.”

Chelsea moved quickly to play down the Kepa-Sarri row which suggests they are backing their under-pressure manager for now and sources told Mirror Sport they were impressed with the performance and the response from the team.

That shows, despite it being seen as Kepa disrespecting his manager, that the club do not see it as an issue which threatens Sarri’s immediate future.

Sarri added: “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 good 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.

“Today I'm really very happy because my feeling is that we are improving. We are improving because we could become a very solid team, I think. After today, we conceded nothing to Manchester City, and that's not really very easy. 

“They're very dangerous in the attacking phase, and usually score a lot. So I'm happy with the performance, and I saw the match on the pitch that I prepared yesterday. So, for a coach, it's a very important thing.”