Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca Critiques Liam Delap’s Red Card Behavior
On October 29, 2025, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed his frustration with player Liam Delap after the latter received a red card during the Carabao Cup match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, which ended in a 4-3 victory for Chelsea.
Delap, making his first appearance since August, was sent off after receiving two yellow cards within just seven minutes of coming on as a substitute. His first booking came from an offense against Yerson Mosquera, and the second was for an aerial challenge deemed reckless involving Emmanuel Agbadou.
This incident marked Chelsea’s sixth red card in just nine matches this season, and Maresca made it clear that Delap’s actions were unacceptable. As a result, Delap will be sidelined for the upcoming match against Tottenham.
“Today, we faced a very unnecessary red card, which was absolutely a foolish foul. It’s something we need to avoid,” Maresca commented. “I understand red cards can happen, like in matches against Brighton and Manchester United, but those today and against Nottingham are avoidable. It’s embarrassing to see a player receive two yellow cards in such a short span.” He continued by highlighting that he had instructed Delap repeatedly to remain calm after the first booking.
The red card overshadowed an exciting match where Chelsea initially built a commanding 3-0 lead with goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, and Estêvão. However, Wolves rallied in the second half, with Tolu Arokodare and David Moller Wolfe applying pressure on Chelsea’s defense. Jamie Gittens fired in a goal in the 90th minute, seemingly securing the win for Chelsea, but moments later, Wolfe netted again for Wolves. Despite their efforts, Wolves fell short of equalizing, allowing Chelsea to progress to the quarterfinals.
Wolves’ coach Vitor Pereira, who was seen arguing with fans following a recent Premier League defeat to Burnley, received some cheers after the match despite the loss. He believes the second-half performance can be a model for future success. “We showed ourselves and our supporters that we can come together and do it again,” Pereira stated. “We just need one victory to regain our confidence. This is a fight we will continue, and we must harness this momentum.” He added that if his team maintains this level of performance, they can compete effectively with any side in the league, including Chelsea.
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