Enzo Maresca did not hold back in his assessment of Liam Delap's red card during Chelsea's narrow 4-3 Carabao Cup victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. The Chelsea manager labeled the dismissal "embarrassing" and a "stupid foul," making his displeasure with the young forward abundantly clear.
Delap's sending off occurred late in the match, just seven minutes after he picked up his first yellow card. The first booking came in the 79th minute for wrestling Yerson Mosquera to the ground. The second followed shortly after, when Delap was adjudged to have committed a reckless aerial challenge on Emmanuel Agbadou. Referee Thomas Bramall showed no hesitation in brandishing the second yellow, followed by the inevitable red, leaving Chelsea to see out the final minutes of the match with ten men.
Maresca's frustration was compounded by the fact that Delap was making his first appearance since returning from a hamstring injury sustained at the end of August against Fulham. His return was initially seen as a positive, offering fresh legs and attacking impetus as Chelsea looked to secure their place in the quarter-finals. However, his ill-disciplined cameo quickly turned into a liability, jeopardizing Chelsea's lead and forcing them to defend desperately in the closing stages.
"Absolutely, yes (it was a red card)," Maresca stated bluntly when addressing the media after the game. "A stupid foul. He deserved that". Maresca contrasted Delap's sending off with previous red cards his team has received this season. "I can understand the red cards against Brighton and (Manchester) United," he said. This suggests that he viewed those dismissals as perhaps harsh or debatable, whereas Delap's was entirely avoidable and self-inflicted.
The red card carries further consequences for Delap and Chelsea. He will now be suspended for Saturday's highly anticipated London derby against Tottenham Hotspur. This deprives Maresca of another attacking option as they face a tough test against their rivals.
Despite the late drama and Delap's dismissal, Chelsea ultimately progressed to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. Goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, Estevao and Jamie Gittens had put them in a commanding position earlier in the match. However, Wolves mounted a spirited second-half comeback, pushing Chelsea all the way to the final whistle. While Maresca will be pleased with the victory and progression in the cup, Delap's moment of indiscipline has undoubtedly cast a shadow over the win. The Chelsea boss will be looking for a response from his squad as they prepare for the challenge of Tottenham, and Delap will likely face further internal disciplinary action for his costly mistake.
