Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca did not hold back in his criticism of young striker Liam Delap after the 22-year-old was sent off during Chelsea’s clash with Wolves.

Delap, who had just returned from injury, was introduced as a substitute but saw red after picking up two yellow cards in the space of seven minutes.

His dismissal left the Blues a man down and visibly infuriated his manager.
“Absolutely, yes. A stupid foul. He deserved that,” Maresca said in his post-match press conference when asked about Delap’s second yellow card.

The Italian boss made it clear he had little sympathy for the forward, who failed to keep his composure during his brief spell on the pitch.

Maresca went on to express his frustration at the recurring disciplinary issues that have plagued Chelsea in recent weeks. “I can understand the red cards against Brighton and United, but against Nottingham and today, we can avoid that,” he stated.

The Chelsea boss was visibly disappointed that his side’s hard work was undone by avoidable mistakes. “It’s embarrassing when it’s a red card like today. Two yellow cards in seven minutes. We can avoid both. It’s not good,” Maresca added.

He also revealed that he had tried to calm Delap down during the game — but his warnings went unheeded. “After the yellow card, I told him four or five times to stay calm. When he is on the pitch, he sometimes plays the game for himself and struggles to see the others around him,” Maresca said.