Maresca Delivers Ultimatum: Chelsea Stars Face Crackdown on Discipline Problems
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has reversed his previous stance that the Blues don't face disciplinary issues, now admitting the squad must learn to prevent unnecessary bookings throughout matches.
Following Liam Delap's red card - Chelsea's fifth dismissal this campaign - during the tense 4-3 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup fourth round this week, Maresca departed from his typically composed approach to openly criticize Delap, calling his sending-off "foolish and shameful" while claiming the forward was "playing for personal gain."
Maresca placed Delap in the same category as Malo Gusto and João Pedro, who both received their marching orders earlier this term for accumulating two yellow cards, as players requiring better self-control during matches, distinguishing these incidents from the direct red cards given to Robert Sánchez and Trevoh Chalobah for preventing clear scoring chances.
"When I state we must prevent red cards, that's exactly what we need to do," Maresca explained during Friday's media briefing. "I express what I believe is appropriate to communicate.
"On certain occasions we received dismissals that were unavoidable, while other times we got red cards that could have been prevented."
When pressed again about whether Chelsea face team-wide disciplinary concerns, Maresca acknowledged: "I believe some of the red cards we receive are preventable.
"This represents a learning opportunity for us. Something we must improve upon. Without question, we will perform better in this area going forward."
Maresca: No Problems With Delap Following Public Rebuke
Maresca's sharp words directed at Delap following the Wolves victory naturally became a central discussion point during the press conference, considering the severity of his remarks.
Maresca acknowledged that using English as his non-native language might have made his statements sound harsher than intended, though he maintained his position that Delap, who offered an immediate apology to his teammates after the match, must improve his on-field conduct.
"I wasn't required to have a conversation with Liam," Maresca elaborated. "I did speak with Liam, but he understands everything completely. He recognizes the circumstances. He acknowledges his error. That's the end of it.
"Perhaps because I'm not English-born, when I attempt to convert from Italian to English, sometimes the meaning shifts slightly. When Liam is on the field, he becomes more concentrated on his personal duel with the center-back rather than the bigger picture. That was my message, what I was attempting to convey after that match.
"There are three players on this squad I know more intimately than others. Roméo Lavia, Cole Palmer and Liam Delap because I worked with them at the Under-21 level [at Manchester City], four years back. So I've always known Liam and I'm confident he'll become an excellent player for us, but like everyone else, there are aspects he must develop."