Who needs goals when you’ve got drama like that?
After 120 goalless minutes between Man City and Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final, fans at Wembley witnessed something extremely rare.
With a penalty shootout inevitable, Maurizio Sarri tried to substitute Kepa Arrizabalaga for Willy Caballero after the Spaniard had gone down twice with cramp.
But the most expensive goalkeeper in history refused to leave the field.
What followed was a farcical long-distance argument with Kepa standing his ground while Sarri beckoned him off.
Chelsea’s coach failed to stamp his authority as Caballero sheepishly returned to the bench.
Sarri was incensed and nearly walked down the tunnel before thinking better of it.
Antonio Rudiger appeared to restrain his manager during the break at the end of extra time.
And so the final went to a shootout, where the drama increased ten-fold.
Jorginho’s skip technique let him down for once as Ederson saved a tame effort to put City on the front foot.
After successful conversions from Ilkay Gundogan and Cesar Azpilicueta, Sergio Aguero stepped up to take City’s second penalty.
The Argentina international gave Kepa every chance to make amends with an unconvincing effort.
But Aguero’s striker wormed its way under the keeper’s dive — Kepa really should have done better.
Redemption looked possible when Chelsea’s No1 saved Leroy Sane’s spot-kick but when David Luiz rattled the post, the Blues were taken to the brink of defeat.
Eden Hazard dared to panenka after Bernardo Silva scored to leave Raheem Sterling with the decisive penalty.
The 24-year-old held his nerve with an emphatic finish to add to Pep Guardiola’s considerable trophy cabinet.
So fine are the margins in football (particularly shootouts) that Kepa will now surely be painted as the villain.
Had he won the cup for Chelsea with heroic saves it would have been easier for Sarri to forgive his mutinous behaviour.
But a blunder only exaggerated his actions and one can only imagine the repercussions.
To make matters worse, Caballero has a reputation as a shootout expert and, ironically, was one of Man City’s heroes of last season’s League Cup campaign.
One normal day of football, that’s all we ask.