Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca branded Liam Delap’s red card “very stupid” after it marred the team’s dramatic 4–3 Carabao Cup win over Wolves.
Delap, returning from a 10-week hamstring injury, was sent off just 26 minutes after coming on, receiving two quick yellow cards — one for pushing Yerson Mosquera and another for barging into Emmanuel Agbadou. The 22-year-old will now miss Saturday’s London derby against Tottenham, with João Pedro also a fitness doubt.
“Yes, absolutely,” Maresca said when asked if Delap deserved the dismissal. “Stupid foul. We can avoid that.”
Chelsea had led 3–0 at halftime before a second-half collapse saw Wolves fight back to 3–3, with Jamie Gittens’ late strike securing Chelsea’s quarter-final spot against Cardiff City.
Maresca criticised both the defensive lapses and Delap’s indiscipline. “The three goals we conceded — all avoidable. And the red card, unnecessary,” he said, adding that he had warned Delap to “keep calm” after his first booking.
The sending-off was Chelsea’s sixth in nine games, adding to concerns over discipline. “Some red cards are understandable,” Maresca admitted. “But ones like today are embarrassing — two yellows in minutes. We have to do better.”
