Need to know
Arsenal’s Kepa Arrizabalaga may have the chance to redeem himself in the Carabao Cup final against Man City on Sunday, seven years on from his infamous meltdown at Wembley while playing for Chelsea
Kepa Arrizabalaga’s 2019 Carabao Cup final meltdown was one of the most extraordinary moments of the season(Image: Getty Images)
Everything you need to know about Kepa Arrizabalaga’s Carabao Cup final meltdown:
- Record-Breaking Arrival: Kepa Arrizabalaga had arrived at Chelsea just months earlier in August 2018 for a staggering £71.6million – a world-record fee for a goalkeeper. As the most expensive ‘keeper in history, he was under immense pressure to prove his value in his first major final for the club, the 2019 Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.
- The Injury Scare: With the game locked at 0-0 deep into extra time, Kepa went down twice with apparent cramp. Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri, fearing his goalkeeper was physically compromised for a shootout, decided to take immediate action.
- Attempted Substitution: Sarri looked to bring backup goalkeeper Willy Caballero on in place of Arrizabalaga. Caballero was a noted penalty specialist and, crucially, a former Manchester City player who knew their takers well.
- Kepa’s Refusal: When the board went up with Kepa’s number, the Spaniard stayed rooted to the spot. He frantically waved his arms at the bench, signalling he was “fine” and refused to leave the pitch.
- Sarri’s Near Walk-Off: On the touchline, Sarri’s fury was explosive, with the Italian seen screaming in rage and throwing water bottles before heading toward the tunnel. He turned back at the last second and returned to the dugout, but his authority had been publicly shattered.
- Shootout Struggle: Despite his insistence that he was the man for the job, Kepa’s performance in the shootout was underwhelming. While he saved an effort from Leroy Sane, he famously let a Sergio Aguero shot slip right under his body, with City going to to clinch a narrow 4-3 victory in the shootout.
- The “Misunderstanding” Claim: In the immediate aftermath, both Kepa and Sarri tried to frame the incident as a big misunderstanding. It was claimed that Kepa assumed he was only being hooked due to a misdiagnosed injury, and was refusing to come off to point out that he wasn’t injured.
- Dressing Room Fallout: Reports later emerged that the atmosphere in the dressing room was toxic following the 4-3 shootout defeat. A former coach revealed that Kepa was left in tears after the match, finally realising the gravity of his disrespect toward Sarri and his team-mates.
- Kepa’s Chelsea career: Arrizabalaga would go on to have a disappointing career at Stamford Bridge. Frequently making headlines for high-profile errors, he was ousted as the club’s No. 1 goalkeeper by Edouard Mendy in 2020 and spend the remaining five years of his spell in west London either as the No. 2 or out on loan.
- Chance to Make Amends: Kepa joined Arsenal on a free transfer last summer and has been ever-present in the club’s Carabao Cup campaign this season. If he gets the nod to start at Wembley on Sunday, he’ll have a shot at banishing the ghosts of 2019 – facing the same opponents, Manchester City.
- READ MORE: Kepa opens up on Carabao Cup final incident vs Man City
