Chelsea’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage sparked jubilant celebrations among the travelling Blues supporters and the players. But one notable figure was missing from the post-match scenes — head coach Enzo Maresca.
While the Chelsea players took the time to soak in the moment with the away fans, Maresca walked straight down the tunnel. Naturally, questions were asked about his decision, and the Italian provided some insight during his post-match press conference.
“I was very happy,” Maresca said after the 2-1 win. “First of all, because it’s a nice feeling to win the game at the end, but I think it was a moment for the players because they deserve to share that moment with the fans.
“So this is the reason why I left the pitch immediately, and then when we scored the second one, I celebrated, and this is the reason why they gave me a yellow card.”
Maresca was shown a yellow card for his touchline celebration following Chelsea’s second goal — a moment that clearly meant a lot to him, even if he remained physically distant from the post-match scenes.
“But for sure I think it was a nice moment for the players and for the fans to share that moment, it’s important and I said already many times, the players need to feel the support.”
That support has sometimes been lacking at Stamford Bridge, with Maresca previously being critical of the atmosphere at home games. He has called on the fans to be more vocal and get behind the team, especially during tough moments.
At Craven Cottage, however, the away end was alive and electric. The travelling Chelsea supporters sang throughout — even if not every chant was kind toward Maresca himself.
Still, the passion in the stands was undeniable, and Maresca’s decision to let the players take centre stage shows he understands the importance of building that bond between the squad and supporters. And while he may not always be front and centre in celebrations, Maresca’s emotion — and his yellow card — showed he’s very much invested in this Chelsea project.