Former England goalkeeper David Seaman says Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga was “disrespectful” to his team-mate Willy Caballero by refusing to be substituted during the Carabao Cup Final.
Kepa ignored Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri’s orders by not leaving the pitch in Sunday’s loss to Manchester City at Wembley with Caballero ready to replace him ahead of the penalty shootout.
Chelsea subsequently fined the Spaniard a week’s wages after he personally apologised to Sarri, who dropped the 24-year-old for Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Tottenham on Wednesday night.
But two-time Premier League winner Seaman believes the bust-up could have been prevented had Kepa gone to the technical area to speak to Sarri.
Speaking at the London Football Awards, the former Arsenal goalkeeper told Sky Sports News: “I don’t think anybody in football has seen anything like that.
“I thought he was disrespectful not only to his manager but his fellow goalkeeper in Caballero.
“He shouldn’t have been out there on the pitch wagging his finger; he should’ve gone over to the bench to explain himself because there was a miscommunication from the physios back to the bench.
“Caballero wasn’t just warming up, he has his gloves on and was ready to go so a signal’s gone back saying he can’t carry on.
“Kepa’s obviously not understood that and thinks he’s okay, but then he realises he’s being taken off so he should’ve just gone over and then that would’ve stopped everything, but that didn’t happen.
“He’s been fined, he’s apologised and he’s been dropped so that’s good enough punishment for me and now he’ll have to wait and see if he gets his place back.”