Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga insisted he has full respect for manager Maurizio Sarri after refusing to be replaced in the final stages of his side's League Cup final loss to Manchester City on penalties.
Sarri was visibly furious when Kepa refused to leave the field after needing treatment, but the Italian coach later claimed his anger was the result of a "misunderstanding".
"At no time has it been my intention to disobey the coach or any of his decisions," Kepa wrote in a statement issued on his Twitter feed.
"I think everything has been misunderstood in the heat of the final part of the match for a title. The coach thought I was not in a position to play and my intention was to express that I was in good condition to continue helping the team, while the docs that had treated me arrived at the bench to give the message.
"I feel the image that has been portrayed was not my intention. I have full respect for the coach and his authority."
"It was a big misunderstanding. I understood the goalkeeper had cramp and for me he was unable to go to penalties but the problem was not cramp so he was able to go to penalties."
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