Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has been fined a week’s wages and apologised for refusing to be substituted during Chelsea’s Carabao Cup final defeat by Manchester City on Sunday.
The Spaniard refused to be replaced by Willy Caballero at Wembley.
“I know if you see it from outside, I don’t know how it went out, it is not the best image,” Kepa said. “I have spoken with the boss. I think it was misunderstood.
“I understand that on television, on social media, they’re talking about this but I am here to explain it, to say that it wasn’t my intention to go against the manager.
“We have spoken now, and I was only trying to say I’m fine. He thought I wasn’t fine. It was in tense moments, with a lot happening.”
Manager Maurizio Sarri said he and Kepa had since had “a good conversation”.
Sarri, who reacted angrily when Kepa refused to leave the field towards the end of extra time, also said the incident had been “a misunderstanding”.
But he added:
“Kepa realises he made a big mistake in the way he reacted.
“He has apologised to me, his team-mates and the club. It is up to the club if they want to discipline him according to the club rules, but for me this matter is now closed.
“The team performance as a whole was extremely positive and it is a shame to see how this incident has overshadowed our efforts in what was a very competitive cup final.”
