Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca slams Liam Delap for red card in EFL Cup win

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has criticized striker Liam Delap after his pointless crimson card within the 4-3 EFL Cup victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night time.

Enzo Maresca Blasts Liam Delap for “Very Silly” Purple Card in EFL Cup Win

The Blues bounced again from their Premier League defeat to Sunderland with a slim win at Molineux, however Maresca’s aspect almost threw away a commanding lead after Delap’s dismissal.

Chelsea had been cruising 3-0 at half-time, solely to see Wolves combat again strongly within the second half.

Jamie Gittens restored a two-goal cushion with Chelsea’s fourth, moments after Delap was despatched off, earlier than David Moller Wolfe’s late strike made it a tense end.

Delap, making his first look since August, got here off the bench on the hour mark however lasted lower than half-hour.

The 22-year-old picked up his first yellow card within the 79th minute for shoving Yerson Mosquera after which earned a second simply seven minutes later for an elbow on Emmanuel Agbadou. The 2 cautions resulted within the first crimson card of his senior profession.

After the match talking with Sky Sports activities, Maresca was livid with the striker’s lack of self-discipline.

“It was a really silly crimson card, utterly pointless,” Maresca mentioned.

“Completely deserved. I advised him a number of instances to remain calm after the primary yellow, however he didn’t hear.

It’s irritating as a result of we are able to simply keep away from conditions like that.”

The sending-off provides to Chelsea’s rising disciplinary issues this season.

Delap’s crimson was the fifth for a Chelsea participant within the 2025–26 marketing campaign, with Robert Sanchez, Trevoh Chalobah, and Malo Gusto all despatched off in league video games, whereas Joao Pedro noticed crimson within the Champions League win over Benfica.

Maresca himself has additionally been dismissed for over-celebrating within the victory towards Liverpool earlier this month.

“When it’s a crimson card like at the moment, it’s embarrassing,” Maresca added.

“Two yellow playing cards in seven minutes — each avoidable.”

Delap will now serve a suspension and miss Chelsea’s essential Premier League conflict towards Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.