Maresca's Mysterious Touchline Absence: What's Keeping Chelsea's Boss Away from Villa Clash?
Chelsea confront the challenging prospect of halting Aston Villa's impressive 10-game winning run this Saturday, with their task becoming even more demanding due to manager Enzo Maresca's enforced absence from the sideline.
The Blues have displayed erratic form in recent fixtures, leaving Maresca uncertain about which version of his squad will appear at Stamford Bridge this weekend. Villa, sitting seven points ahead of Chelsea and unbeaten since November 1st, will look to capitalize on the instability within the home team's camp.
Regardless of how events develop in west London, Maresca will be unable to guide the match from his customary touchline position, being compelled to watch from high up in the stadium seating.
But what's preventing the Italian from patrolling his technical area against Villa?
Why Maresca Is Not in the Dugout Against Aston Villa
Disciplinary problems have become a self-imposed burden for Chelsea this campaign, with Maresca failing to provide a positive example for his squad. The 45-year-old received another caution for expressing his displeasure during last weekend's 2–2 stalemate with Newcastle United—marking Maresca's seventh yellow card this season across all tournaments and fifth in Premier League action.
Due to accumulating five domestic cautions, Maresca must serve a one-game sideline suspension against Villa, with assistant manager Willy Caballero anticipated to deliver instructions from the dugout.
Maresca has previously endured a Premier League touchline suspension this season after being dismissed for two yellow cards versus Liverpool earlier in the campaign—the second booking came from his exuberant celebrations following Chelsea's dramatic late victory. He was consequently prohibited from the touchline during a 3–0 triumph over Nottingham Forest in October.
Maresca also received bookings in Premier League matches against Manchester United and Burnley, plus Champions League encounters with Bayern Munich and Barcelona, with his temperamental nature affecting his players' behavior.
No team has accumulated more than Chelsea's four Premier League dismissals this season, while their 35 yellow cards in the league are surpassed only by Bournemouth (42) and Tottenham Hotspur (44). They rank fourth for most fouls committed per game in the division.
When questioned about his disciplinary record and that of his players before the Villa fixture, Maresca maintained he was "very proud" that his team mirrors his approach.
"Listen, the club this morning showed me a comment from some of you that said the team reflect the manager and I'm very proud of that. Because of the way the team is doing," stated the Chelsea manager.
"The youngest squad in the Premier League. You also have to allow them some mistakes in terms of growing. I think, yes, we have yellow cards, yes, we had some red cards, but I like to analyse different situations. For sure, it's something we can do better."