Cape Town - Fans and pundits alike reacted with fury after Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga - who is the world's most expensive shot-stopper - refused to be substituted, sending Maurizio Sarri into a rage.
WATCH: Bizarre!... Sarri goes mental as Chelsea goalkeeper refuses to be subbed
Sarri was furious when Kepa refused to be substituted after needing treatment in the closing stages of extra-time against Manchester City at Wembley on Sunday.
Chelsea eventually lost 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw, but it was Kepa's rebellious behaviour and Sarri's raging response on the touchline that stole the headlines.
However, speaking after the match, Sarri appeared to back-track as he suggested it was a communication issue that caused the problem.
"In that situation there was a big misunderstanding," Sarri said.
"At no time has it been my intention to disobey the coach or any of his decisions," Kepa wrote in a statement issued on his Twitter feed.
Has to score... WATCH what Eden Hazard does in Carabao Cup shootout!
Fans though were split in their reaction to the unbelievable scenes but pundits and former players were unanimous in their outrage towards the goalkeeper with some calling for him to never play for The Blues again.
?? - Have you EVER seen anything like it!?
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 24, 2019
Maurizio Sarri tries to substitute Kepa Arrizabalaga for Willy Caballero, but Kepa refuses to come off and Sarri is absolutely FURIOUS! ?? pic.twitter.com/Q81v6ry3Kk
— kepa Arrizabalaga (@kepa_46) February 24, 2019
Kepa Arrizabalaga has just set a new precedent for the power players have in Football ..... The boss should have walked on a dragged him off ..... #Fact
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 24, 2019
Kepa Arrizabalaga surely the next Chelsea manager ......
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 24, 2019
What have you done?! ???? #Kepa pic.twitter.com/ywB58BctCy
— Joe Gilbert (@JoeGilbert_) February 24, 2019
OMG The fella giving handshakes to all the players snubbed Kepa as he was walking down the step ?????? #cfc #CarabaoCup #Kepa #Sarri pic.twitter.com/DZQ9asbve6
— Matt (@MattIanta) February 24, 2019
????BREAKING NEWS????
— Racing Post Sport (@RacingPostSport) February 24, 2019
Kepa suffers first defeat as Chelsea manager#CarabaoCupFinal #Kepa #CFC #Chelsea #Sarri pic.twitter.com/rUK9IKSLxH
If this guy isn’t all of us ?? #Kepa pic.twitter.com/AjbYDGXNvx
— Jonathan Littledale (@JLittledale) February 24, 2019
Balls on this guy at the final whistle. #CHEMCI #Kepa pic.twitter.com/GyeYT3DmkM
— Jamie (@ChelseaHipster) February 24, 2019
It was all just a "big misunderstanding".
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 24, 2019
Maurizio Sarri on the incident with Kepa Arrizabalaga. pic.twitter.com/vLWGM8TJwC
"This is just an answer for the newspapers."
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) February 24, 2019
Our #MOTD2 pundits discuss the Maurizio Sarri and Kepa Arrizabalaga incident. pic.twitter.com/kLdhqstdu2
?? | @VincentKompany on Kepa’s refusal to be substituted:
— Superbia Proelia (@SuperbiaProeIia) February 24, 2019
"I’ll keep it mind next time I’m about to get subbed." ??#ManCity #CarabaoCupFinal pic.twitter.com/lKG98QC2OR
“Kepa should never play for Chelsea again. He’s a disgrace."@chris_sutton73 says "if I was Sarri I would walk" after the extraordinary behaviour of the #CFC goalkeeper in the #CarabaoCupFinal ????#BBC606 pic.twitter.com/R7z9hXKWf0
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) February 24, 2019
Kepa’s Wikipedia page right now... pic.twitter.com/WQQ1GPYN1N
— Photos of Football (@photosofootball) February 24, 2019
Kepa’s Wikipedia already updated ?????? pic.twitter.com/TzyZeoL7YE
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) February 24, 2019
Oh Wikipedia has gone after Sari and Kepa already. Lol pic.twitter.com/bqYoVUFlNk
— N’Golo André (@THEa3K) February 24, 2019
Somebody has edited Kepa's wikipedia page ?????? pic.twitter.com/Y5pxiYj60N
— Oddschanger (@Oddschanger) February 24, 2019
And u did help the team ?????? pic.twitter.com/0OkLpOC53L
— Putin (@putinvaldir) February 25, 2019
John Terry believes Maurizio Sarri should have forced Kepa Arrizabalaga off after Chelsea's goalkeeper refused to be substituted pic.twitter.com/ygRXtvs19M
— Chidozieblog (@Chidozieblog) February 24, 2019
Kepa Arrizabalaga refuses to come off the pitch, and then does this... ??#CHEMCI #CarabaoCupFinalpic.twitter.com/nXkZnpDCCA
— David Kislingbury (@DKislingbury) February 24, 2019
Last minute of extra-time in a cup final
— Jœl (@Joelissimmo) February 24, 2019
Kepa Arrizabalaga: https://t.co/NYB5Ffcx6M