In astonishing scenes in the EFL Cup final at Wembley on Sunday, Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga seemed to refuse to be substituted after going down with an injury.
Insisting he was alright to carry on against Manchester City, Arrizabalaga held a lengthy and animated long-distance debate with the bench.
.@Kepa_46 says he wasn't disobeying Maurizio Sarri at the Carabao Cup final…#CHEMCI
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 24, 2019
After his angry-looking manager Maurizio Sarri held further discussions with the referee, the substitution was cancelled.
Kepa Arrizabalaga stayed on for the last minutes of extra time and the subsequent penalty shootout.
Sarri doing Kepa a big favour with all that "misunderstanding" nonsense. Keeper deserved to be thrown under the bus for his antics but when you cost £72m not much chance of that happening.
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) February 24, 2019
However he was beaten four times from the spot and Chelsea failed to lift the trophy.
These were the best Kepa Arrizabalaga sub jokes and tweets as the goalie refuses to come off against Man City in the Carabao Cup final:
"5 more minutes mum it's about to go to penalties" – Kepa
— Andy Castell (@AJ3) February 24, 2019
Can’t wait in 6 months time I’m gonna see Kepa serving me at a Burger King in Birmingham
— Liam (@OfficialVizeh) February 24, 2019
Kepa and Sarri helpfully demonstrating to the British people what the UK’s Brexit debate looks like to the rest of the world
— Sam Wallace (@SamWallaceTel) February 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/ayyy_west/status/1099748054641635328
Sarri gonna send them Vespa shooters from Napoli to see Kepa on his holidays this summer.
— Pro Scout (@Wrighty_8) February 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/jamiew_tc/status/1099755732197621760
If Kepa doesn’t save any pens he’ll be inside a calzone pizza tonight.
— Craig Burley (@CBurleyESPN) February 24, 2019
Time Life photo of the year…
KEPA SAVES pic.twitter.com/6y77zX2IMS— Mark Worrall (@gate17marco) February 24, 2019
Cracking save from Kepa. Quality stuff from Chelsea's player-manager.
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) February 24, 2019
Sarri celebrates for a moment then remembers he hates Kepa
— keith costigan (@KeithCostigan) February 24, 2019
Kepa refusing to save pens now.
— Tim Stillman (@Stillberto) February 24, 2019
Shoulda Kepa eye on the ball
— Lux (@Callux) February 24, 2019
Kepa Arrizabalaga suffers his first defeat as Chelsea manager
— Mark Jones (@Mark_Jones86) February 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/rwiggy9/status/1099750376163721217
https://twitter.com/niallmoran_/status/1099815615576113153
https://twitter.com/CFCWriter/status/1099750780628811776
Kepa cost @ChelseaFC £71million. Money well spent. Never a moment’s bother.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) February 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/Foxyproxy1313/status/1099750965916377089
Kepa Arrizabalaga Revuelta, also known as Kepa, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Dutch club Vitesse on loan from Chelsea[1].
— Jonny Sharples (@JonnyGabriel) February 24, 2019
Disrespectful c*nt. Never deserves to wear a Chelsea shirt again #kepa #rude #chelsea #sarri pic.twitter.com/M4zZBp4JJe
— Kyle Ashman (@kyleashmannnn) February 24, 2019
Last minute of extra-time in a cup final
Kepa Arrizabalaga: https://t.co/NYB5Ffcx6M
— Jœl (@Joelissimmo) February 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/PapaJacko_/status/1099755144483360769
Exclusive footage of Sarri and Kepa having a fight with each other pic.twitter.com/Hjscqp3quc
— Real Talk Manchester City ⚽️ (@RealTalkMCFC) February 24, 2019
Sarri when Kepa tries to walk back into the dressing room #CarabaoCupFinal pic.twitter.com/zZHrti50kh
— JC (@jamesjfcross) February 24, 2019
Adam Bogdan would never have done to me what Kepa did to Sarri
— Deluded Brendan (@DeludedBrendan) February 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/Tayyab_402/status/1099750397869215744
Kepa has fucked with the Italians. No way back my son #CHEMCI pic.twitter.com/PvW2LzvgWr
— Paul McG AFC ☘️© (@Afcpmg) February 24, 2019
Sarri punishing Kepa for refusing to come off. #CHEMCI #CarabaoCupFinal pic.twitter.com/6jZhM7oaGv
— BenchWarmers (@BeWarmers) February 24, 2019
Everyone is talking about Kepa and Sarri but let's spare a thought for poor Willy Caballero in all of this.
He got his kit on and everything bless him.
It was like when Ross got into his tuxedo so that he could take Rachel to prom. pic.twitter.com/qT7uWSSswU
— Toby Tarrant (@tobytarrant) February 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/SamanthaQuek/status/1099751202655485952
https://twitter.com/deIesalli/status/1099766052085469185
Even Harchester United weren't dysfunctional enough to have a player refuse to be subbed off.
— Jonny Sharples (@JonnyGabriel) February 24, 2019
Not sure there's a template to follow for whatever post-match Instagram that Kepa is trying to construct
— Adam Hurrey (@FootballCliches) February 24, 2019
You don’t need to apologize, you are now the manager
— Olami (@its_olami) February 24, 2019
Very kind of Kepa to allow Sarri to stand in for him in the post-match interviews. pic.twitter.com/eLVZIE6lmV
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) February 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/ollygodspower/status/1099799922738688007