Joao Pedro Cleared to Battle Liverpool Despite Shocking Chelsea Red Card

Following an unnecessary red card dismissal against Benfica in the Champions League, João Pedro will complete his suspension in European competition, meaning he'll be eligible for this weekend's Premier League clash when Liverpool visit.

It wasn't just Chelsea's 1–0 triumph over José Mourinho's team that had Enzo Maresca nearly celebrating on Tuesday evening, but the prospect that his squad was close to completing the match with a full complement of players.

In the Blues' last two Premier League matches, facing Manchester United and Brentford, Robert Sánchez and Trevoh Chalobah's respective ejections helped Maresca's team earn zero points from six available.

Sánchez's reckless challenge on Bryan Mbeumo left Chelsea down a man after just five minutes at Old Trafford, trailing 2–0 before Casemiro's second yellow card balanced the numbers. Subsequently, at the weekend, Chalobah's dismissal transformed a 1–0 advantage into a 3–1 loss.

The Blues were nearly home free on Tuesday evening. One of the cautioned players, Facundo Buonanotte, was staying out of trouble, and a lackluster Champions League match, marked by José Mourinho's Stamford Bridge homecoming, was approaching its conclusion.

However, Pedro then raised his foot toward Leandro Barreiro's face during the sixth minute of added time. The lack of contact meant a caution was sufficient, but the Brazilian had already been booked within sixty seconds of his second-half entrance. Enter red card number three for Chelsea across four matches.

What Chelsea Games Will João Pedro Miss After Red Card?

In severe cases, suspensions can transfer between the Premier League and Champions League, but since Pedro was dismissed for accumulating two yellow cards, the Brazilian will only be prohibited from Chelsea's upcoming European match.

The adaptable attacker, who had an impressive beginning to his Stamford Bridge tenure but has declined following the September international window, will therefore be eligible for Saturday's league encounter against the struggling champions, with Liverpool making the trip to west London.

Pedro, nevertheless, is banned from Chelsea's league phase meeting with Ajax on Oct. 22. He'll return to Champions League duty, assuming no injury, in Gameweek 4 when Maresca's side travels to Azerbaijan to meet Qarabag on Bonfire Night.

Chelsea cannot contest Pedro's suspension since he accumulated two yellow cards. This marked the third ejection of his professional career.

"A positive aspect is we're progressing and can secure victories with 10 men," Maresca remarked after the match, as the Blues maintained their composure in the final moments to claim their first win of the league phase campaign, having suffered a 3–1 defeat to Bayern Munich in Gameweek 1.