Manuel Pellegrini refused to be drawn into a debate about Kepa Arrizabalaga who refused to be substituted yesterday evening.
Pellegrini told reporters at Rush Green “It is a strange situation, Normally the player goes out, especially in this case as he was injured and Willy Caballero knows the Man City players and he is a very good saver of penalties. It was a change that must have happened.”
Asked what he would have done, the West Ham manager said “I don’t want to continue talking about that because you must be in that situation, I was not. I give me opinion about Willy Caballero, who reacted very well, so I am just talking about him and not any more because I do not want to criticise or you will change the words I said.”
Asked whether he had sympathy for the Chelsea manager Sarri Pell added “I don’t know him very well but he is doing a good job at Chelsea, reaching a final, could be in the Champions League next year, he is doing a very good job.”
Claret and Hugh say:
Manuel Pellegrini is very media savvy and knows whatever his answer it would be twisted either against the Chelsea manager or the Chelsea goalkeeper. It is certainly a very strange position to me in with a player refusing to be substituted and maybe the West London paid the ultimate price by losing on penalties. Referee Jon Moss had a word with Sarri on the sidelines to determine what he wanted to do. However, the FA’s official Laws of the Game and FA Rules state that there are no rules in place which gives referees the power to demand a player leaves the field of play. Under ‘ Substitution Procedure’ of Law 3: The Players , on the FA’s website, it states in the rules: “If a player who is to be replaced refuses to leave, play continues.”