Sarri’s final humiliation
IT WAS a tale of two goalkeepers. Ederson was the hero as Manchester City took a fi rst step to an unprecedented Quadruple.
But it was Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga who was at the centre of an amazing row which could yet spell the end for his manager Maurizio Sarri.
It was decided on penalties and Ederson saved one from Jorginho while David Luiz hit the post as Pep Guardiola’s City fi nally broke the resistance of a stubborn Chelsea team to lift their fi rst trophy of the season.
That was thanks in the end to a nerveless penalty from Raheem Sterling.
But the victory at Wembley was utterly overshadowed after Sarri saw his authority totally undermined by Kepa. Possibly fatally. The Italian’s future was AET; MAN CITY WIN 4- 3 ON PENS
on the line even before this fi nal, after fi ve defeats in 11 games, and he would almost certainly have been sacked had his team suffered the kind of beating they underwent in their 6- 0 league hammering by City two weeks ago.
But things went wrong for him for different reasons.
Kepa refused to come off after Sarri tried to substitute him in extra- time in extraordinary scenes with the replacement keeper – penalty expert Willy Caballero – stripped and ready to come on.
Kepa had been down twice having treatment just before that, but then insisted on staying on.
A furious Sarri fl ung his notebook to the ground and stormed off down the tunnel.
Then, as he returned when the whistle blew for the end of the game and penalties, Sarri actually had to be held back by defender Antonio Rudiger from confronting Kepa.
An embarrassed Caballero stood watching. In contrast, Guardiola was sorting out City’s takers in relative calm.
Sarri was given so little backing by his players that it is clear he has little support in the dressing room.
Then came the penalties, and of course Sarri’s main man Jorginho missed. Kepa also should have saved Sergio Aguero’s penalty and even though he did stop Leroy Sane’s, Luiz also missed and Sterling made sure for City.
The club now surely have to back Sarri and fi ne Kepa, who cannot get away with such insubordination.
Where though this leaves Sarri’s authority in the dressing room is another matter.
The shame of it is that those incidents totally undermined a good performance by Chelsea.
Thrashed at the Etihad when he tried to take City on at their own game, Sarri at last showed some of the tactical fl exibility he has been accused of lacking.
Playing Eden Hazard as a false No9 again, his Chelsea side fl ummoxed City with their organisation and grit.
It had not been an easy week for Chelsea and Sarri. Knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United on Monday, they got through to the last 16 of the Europa League – only to
be hit by a FIFA transfer ban. Ex- skipper John Terry said before the game that Sarri was too stubborn to change his ideas. Well, the Italian changed them yesterday and almost succeeded in winning his fi rst- ever trophy as a manager.
City had 71 per cent of the possession in the fi rst half but as Aguero shot over and saw another shot saved, they simply could not break through.
And Chelsea almost took the lead when City’s Nicolas Otamendi headed just wide of his own post.
Gradually Chelsea wormed their way in as Hazard dribbled clear and set up N’Golo Kante, but the Frenchman shot over.
Then Ross Barkley curled an effort just wide. But chances were few and far between in a war of attrition.
Sarri showed his intent as he threw on Callum HudsonOdoi and Ruben Loftus- Cheek as he went for the win and City seemed to have lost their way, as Jorginho chipped just wide.
Kepa pulled off a fi ne close- range save from Aguero as the minutes ticked away in extra- time. And that was the start of it.
What in fact was a fi ne piece of tactical planning by the muchmaligned Sarri was overshadowed by the row which then enveloped the Chelsea manager.
Unfortunately, in Sunday League fashion, his players undermined him. And that fact will not have escaped the powers that be at Stamford Bridge. OUR SAVIOUR: Walker hugs hero Ederson