Kepa Arrizabalaga: Chelsea goalkeeper explains he was never injured and was just wasting time, after extraordinary refusal to be substituted

‘In no moment was it my intention to disobey, or anything like that with the boss. Just that it was misunderstood’

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has categorically denied that he was guilty of insubordination at the end of the club’s Carabao Cup defeat byManchester City, and said it was all a “misunderstanding” as what appeared a refusal to go off was instead him attempting to signal to the bench that he was fit.

Kepa had gone down in the last few minutes of extra-time with the score at 0-0, leading Maurizio Sarri to attempt to bring on Willy Caballero. Although the board had gone up, and the Spanish goalkeeper admitted he did see it, he said all he was trying to do was signal to the bench that he was actually fit. Kepa insisted he had merely been trying to buy the team time on going down, but that he realises it is “not the best image”.

“First of all, I have to say it was misunderstood,” Kepa explained. “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.”

When it was put to Kepa that many people are criticising him for insubordination in what appeared an unprecedented act, he said: “I know if you see it from outside, I don’t know how it went out, it is not the best image. I have spoken with the boss. I think it was misunderstood.

“I understand that on television, on social media, they’re talking about this but I am here to explain it, to say that it wasn’t my intention to go against the manager. We have spoken now, and I was only trying to say I’m fine. He thought I wasn’t fine. It was in tense moments, with a lot happening.

“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.”

Kepa refused to be substituted during Chelsea's Carabao Cup final defeat (Reuters)

Asked if he saw the board go up, Kepa said: “Yes, yes, of course I did. But because of that, it was until the medics had got back to the bench to explain I was fine, that I could continue. It wasn’t that I was refusing to be substituted, it was a way of trying to tell the bench that I was fine.

“It has to be understood, too, that these were the last few minutes of a final, and I didn’t realise the reactions. It was only when I say they were going to change, I tried to say I was fine. It was the final minute, with a lot going on. I know the image it’s given, but I never intended to refuse to go off. It was only to say I was fine.

“I don’t think it has to be the major act of this final. I understand we played a good level against one of the best teams in the world. We were close to winning, obviously we’re sad that we didn’t, and I think the team needs to continue playing like this, because today we’ve shown we can compete against the best teams. Among the negatives, we have to take the positives.”