Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has described Liam Delap’s red card as “very stupid” following the Blues’ hard-fought 4-3 Carabao Cup victory over Wolves on Wednesday night.
Delap, who had only just returned from a 10-week hamstring injury, lasted just 26 minutes on the pitch after being introduced as a second-half substitute before receiving his marching orders.
The 22-year-old forward collected two yellow cards in quick succession—first for pushing Yerson Mosquera, then for barging into Emmanuel Agbadou. The dismissal means he will miss Saturday’s London derby against Tottenham, with João Pedro already doubtful through injury.
When asked whether Delap deserved to be sent off, Maresca did not mince his words.
“Absolutely, yes. Stupid foul. We can avoid that,” the Italian manager told reporters after the match.
The red card came during a dramatic second half that saw Chelsea squander a commanding 3-0 lead. Wolves mounted an impressive comeback, scoring three times before Jamie Gittens struck a sensational late winner to secure Chelsea’s passage to the quarter-finals, where they will face Cardiff City.
Maresca expressed frustration at his team’s defensive lapses and Delap’s lack of composure.
“The three goals we conceded, I think all of them we can avoid. Certainly, we also received a very unnecessary red card today,” he said.
“After the first yellow card, I told him four or five times to keep calm. But Liam is a player who, when he’s on the pitch, is probably playing the game for himself and struggles to realise and listen to those around him.”
The dismissal marks Chelsea’s sixth red card in nine matches, including Maresca’s own sending-off for celebrating a last-minute winner against Liverpool before the international break.
Chelsea have also accumulated the highest number of yellow cards in the Premier League over the past three seasons, raising questions about the squad’s discipline.
However, Maresca drew a distinction between different types of dismissals.
“I completely understand when there are red cards like against Brighton or Manchester United, that’s difficult, but the red cards against Nottingham Forest and today, both we can and have to avoid,” he explained.
“It’s embarrassing when it’s a red card like today because it’s two yellow cards in five or 10 minutes. Both, I think, we can avoid. So it’s not good.”
Despite the disciplinary concerns, Chelsea progressed to the last eight of the competition, though Maresca will hope his side can tighten up both their defence and their discipline ahead of the crucial derby clash with Tottenham at the weekend.
