‘I didn’t mean to disobey’
announcing he was to be replaced by Willy Caballero for the last seconds of extra-time.
Furious, Sarri threw his notebook down in anger and stormed towards the tunnel before turning around and returning to his seat.
But Kepa said: “In no moment was it my intention to disobey, or anything like that with the boss. We have spoken now.
“He thought I wasn’t fine. It was in tense moments, with a lot happening…
“It wasn’t that I was refusing to be substituted, it was a way of trying to tell the bench that I was fine.”
Sarri said: “It was a big misunderstanding. I understood he had cramp, so I didn’t want the goalkeeper to go to the penalties in that physical condition.
“Kepa was right mentally because he was able to go to the penalties. But he was wrong in the way he conducted himself.
“I was really angry and I want to talk with him because he needs to understand that, even for a misunderstanding, we can still get in trouble, especially with the press.”
The Chelsea manager was adamant he was not losing his grip on the squad, saying: “I think I am fully in control of the situation. They played exactly the way I asked.”
City boss Pep Guardiola said: “I’m happy to win back to back in this competition for the first time in the club’s history.”