Carabao Cup

KEPA ARRIZABALGA has blamed fans at Wembley for his astonishing Carabao Cup bust-up with Maurizio Sarri – and apologised for refusing to come off.The Spanish goalkeeper, 26, incredibly stayed on in the 2019 League Cup final, despite his manager calling for him to be substituted.
Kepa Arrizabalaga has lifted the lid on his sensational bust-up in the 2019 Carabao Cup finalCredit: Reuters
Willy Caballero was ready to come on during extra-time after Arrizabalaga stayed down apparently injured.
But when the board went up, the club-record £71.6million signing shouted towards Sarri and assistant Gianfranco Zola on the touchline, insisting he was fine to carry on between the sticks.
Team-mates even begged him to go off but Arrizabalaga stood his ground while Sarri momentarily stormed down the tunnel.
Kepa continued as Chelsea lost to Manchester City in the penalty shootout – and now he has shared his recollections of that eventful afternoon at Wembley.
He told The Players’ Tribune: “It was all a big misunderstanding.
“Manchester City were dominating the game in extra-time and there was barely any time left until penalties.
“After making a save, I felt something in my leg and I called for the physio to make sure it was nothing. Above all, though, I wanted to make sure that we as a team could catch our breath.
“Suddenly, I saw that the coach, Maurizio Sarri, had sent Willy Caballero to warm up. He thought I couldn’t go on.
“My intention, right or wrong, had only been to waste time to help the team. I didn’t have any serious problem that was going to keep me from continuing to play.
“I tried to signal that I was okay, that I wasn’t injured. But we were at Wembley in front of more than 80,000 people, so of course Sarri didn’t understand me.

“When the fourth official raised the board, clearly I should have come off, and I’m sorry I didn’t.
“I was wrong, and I am sorry for everyone who was involved: for Maurizio Sarri, who it seemed like I had undermined in public, for Willy, a team-mate and a great professional, and for all my team-mates and Chelsea fans who had to put up with everything — all the noise that was generated during the game and then in the days after.”
The situation was cleared up inside Chelsea pretty quickly.
But Arrizabalga – now behind Edouard Mendy in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge – was vilified for his stubbornness, with many insisting he should have respected the manager’s decision.
He added: “Inside the club, it was no big deal. I had a chat with the boss, we talked about how we had each seen the situation, and we cleared the air.
“After that, I got dropped for one game, but a week later I was back in the team.
“I remember playing a great game against Fulham, and that was it. A couple of months later we knocked Frankfurt out of the Europa League semi-finals and I saved two penalties in the shootout.
“Internally, everything was fine again. But outside the club, it got out of control.
“When I picked up my phone in the dressing room after the League Cup final, I realised that I had become worldwide news.
“For the next three or four days it didn’t stop. It was overwhelming. And clearly, most people who saw the pictures thought that I had disrespected Maurizio.
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“I felt misunderstood because it had never been my intention to snub the coach. I had only tried to tell him I was okay. I tried to explain this to the press, but I couldn’t.
“Luckily, now it is just an anecdote from the past. I still have a fantastic relationship with Maurizio.
“And next time, in a similar situation, I will know what to do. But it is an example that not everything is what it seems from the outside.”
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The board went up with his number on it while Willy Caballero looked bemused on the sidelinesCredit: Rex Features
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa angrily refuses to be called off the pitch during the Carabao Cup Final More

WHILE their lives couldn’t be more different, Jose Mourinho and James Corden have more in ­common than you may think.Both are seasoned pros in their chosen field with legions of fans around the globe — and a shared obsession with the beautiful game.
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Jose Mourinho has 25 medals in his trophy cabinet across EuropeCredit: Chelsea FC
The Special One left Spurs just six days before they faced Manchester City in the Carabao Cup finalCredit: Getty
So who better to quiz The Special One than a London-born boy done good?
Jose, 58, is now at Roma after leaving Spurs.
They parted company on April 19, just six days before Tottenham faced Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Speaking on Zoom, James, 42, got Jose chatting about his vast collection of titles across Europe – and the Portuguese revealed he includes an extra half trophy for the final he was denied from taking charge of.
Instead, interim boss Ryan Mason was in the Wembley dugout for Tottenham.
City would go on to win the final thanks to Aymeric Laporte’s late glancing header.
Here’s how James and Jose discussed his trophy cabinet…
JAMES CORDEN: I feel you’ve always known when something is going to work or not in the long term. Like at Manchester United, you came to Los Angeles and we filmed something for my show. I had a feeling you thought that season would not end well.
JOSE MOURINHO: Manchester United was a situation where we won three trophies in the first season. When I met you I wanted more.
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JC: I remember you saying to me, “I have no players” and I was like, “No you have this and this.” You said it wasn’t enough.
JM: I am very optimistic but I am very realistic. When we did that at Manchester United by winning the Europa League, and the domestic cup, I felt for the next step it would not be enough.
This season, people were saying, “Great season, you finished second.” I’d say, “We finished second. It’s a bad season.”
JC: Why is finishing second a bad season?
JM: I like Manchester United, the fans were amazing with me. And I think it is good for them that another season without trophies is seen as positive.
But with me the level of expectation coming from the media is completely different.
JC: But some of that pressure you bring on yourself. In press conferences you’ll say things like, “Three, three!”
Jose Mourinho’s incredible trophy haul

PORTOPrimeira Liga: 2002–03, 2003–04Taça de Portugal: 2002–03Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2003UEFA Champions League: 2003–04UEFA Cup: 2002–03
CHELSEAPremier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2014–15FA Cup: 2006–07Football League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07, 2014–15FA Community Shield: 200
INTER MILANSerie A: 2008–09, 2009–10Coppa Italia: 2009–10Supercoppa Italiana: 2008UEFA Champions League: 2009–10
REAL MADRIDLa Liga: 2011–12Copa del Rey: 2010–11Supercopa de España: 2012
MAN UTDEFL Cup: 2016–17FA Community Shield: 2016UEFA Europa League: 2016–17

JM: That’s a reaction! I don’t arrive and say three or five. James, if you want to be proactive you can ask me how many trophies I have won in my career — 25 and a half.
JC: What is the half?
JM: The half is the final I didn’t play with Tottenham.
I’ve won 25 and a half trophies… the half is the final I didn’t play with Spurs.
JC: Were you disappointed you didn’t get to manage?
JM: Of course. To have a chance to win a trophy with a club that doesn’t have many, that was a dream.
JC: Did you ever say, “Let me manage the final, win the trophy and I will leave?”
JM: It is not for me to make that decision.
The latest piece of silverware lifted by the Portuguese was the Europa League in 2017Credit: PA:Empics Sport

Jose Mourinho named Roma manager on three-year contract More