By Ian Herbert For The Daily Mail
Published: 22:38 GMT, 25 February 2019 | Updated: 22:38 GMT, 25 February 2019
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Maurizio Sarri is not alone in experiencing the indignity of failing to substitute one of his players and being left to account for it.
Luis Enrique’s Barcelona were 3-0 up at home to Eibar in October 2014 when he told Lionel Messi it was time to leave the field. Messi had no intention of doing so and an exchange of hand gestures ensued before the player in question held up a thumb, looked away and walked up the field.
‘What happened can be interpreted many ways,’ Enrique said afterwards. ‘I will carry on doing what I’ve been doing.’
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to be substituted during the Carabao Cup final
Kepa isn't the first to deny his manager's orders though, with the likes of Lionel Messi doing it
Cristiano Ronaldo is another who didn't want to come off, before going on to score two goals
Leave means leave for all but the very elite on the football pitch. Zlatan Ibrahimovic rejected AC Milan manager Max Allegri in 2010 after injuring himself while celebrating an overhead kick. Cristiano Ronaldo said ‘thanks but no thanks’ to Zinedine Zidane during Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final at Bayern Munich in April 2017, scoring twice in extra time to make a point. But the manager who tolerates this from any but football’s deified sends a
