LONDON (AFP) - Kepa Arrizabalaga's extraordinary refusal to be substituted by Maurizio Sarri in Sunday's (Feb 24) League Cup final heaps the pressure on the beleaguered Chelsea boss as he desperately seeks consistency. Willy Caballero, who saved three penalties for City in their 2016 League Cup final win, was readied to go on, but Kepa declined to leave the pitch - sparking confusion and angering Sarri. Related Story Football: Man City win League Cup final marked by Chelsea keeper controversySarri, Kepa and David Luiz, the closest player to Kepa throughout the incident, were "on message" after the match at Wembley, all insisting it was a misunderstanding, not insubordination. Sarri replaced Antonio Conte in July and got off to a flying start, with Chelsea unbeaten for the first 18 competitive games. But the question is whether Sarri still has authority in the dressing room and whether he will be given the time to turn things around.

Source: BBC February 25, 2019 13:41 UTC