Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca slammed Liam Delap’s “stupid” red card that nearly derailed their dramatic 4-3 Carabao Cup victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday. The Blues narrowly advanced to the quarter-finals despite Delap’s dismissal during his injury comeback appearance.
Delap, returning after ten weeks out with a hamstring injury, entered as a substitute only to receive two yellow cards within 26 minutes. The 22-year-old first shoved Yerson Mosquera before committing a late challenge on Emmanuel Agbadou. Maresca was unequivocal when asked about the sending-off: “Absolutely, yes. Stupid foul. We can avoid that.”
Chelsea seemed in control with a 3-0 halftime advantage before Wolves staged a stunning second-half comeback to level the match. Jamie Gittens’ late strike rescued the Blues, booking their quarter-final clash against Cardiff City. Maresca expressed frustration at his team’s near-collapse: “The three goals we conceded, all are avoidable. We also received a very unnecessary red card.”
The Italian manager revealed repeated warnings to Delap went unheeded: “After the first yellow, I told him four times to stay calm. Liam struggles to listen when playing.” Delap’s suspension rules him out of Saturday’s derby against Tottenham, compounding Chelsea’s attacking shortage with João Pedro injured.
This marked Chelsea’s sixth dismissal in nine matches, deepening discipline concerns. Maresca acknowledged the troubling pattern: “Cards against Nottingham Forest and today were avoidable. Two yellows in minutes is embarrassing.” The manager himself was recently sent off for celebrating a late winner against Liverpool.
About the Author
