Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has criticized striker Liam Delap after his needless red card in the 4-3 EFL Cup victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night.
Enzo Maresca Blasts Liam Delap for “Very Stupid” Red Card in EFL Cup Win
The Blues bounced back from their Premier League defeat to Sunderland with a narrow win at Molineux, but Maresca’s side nearly threw away a commanding lead after Delap’s dismissal.
Chelsea were cruising 3-0 at half-time, only to see Wolves fight back strongly in the second half.
Jamie Gittens restored a two-goal cushion with Chelsea’s fourth, moments after Delap was sent off, before David Moller Wolfe’s late strike made it a tense finish.
Delap, making his first appearance since August, came off the bench on the hour mark but lasted less than 30 minutes.
The 22-year-old picked up his first yellow card in the 79th minute for shoving Yerson Mosquera and then earned a second just seven minutes later for an elbow on Emmanuel Agbadou. The two cautions resulted in the first red card of his senior career.
After the match speaking with Sky Sports, Maresca was furious with the striker’s lack of discipline.
“It was a very stupid red card, completely unnecessary,” Maresca said.
“Absolutely deserved. I told him several times to stay calm after the first yellow, but he didn’t listen.
It’s frustrating because we can easily avoid situations like that.”
The sending-off adds to Chelsea’s growing disciplinary problems this season.
Delap’s red was the fifth for a Chelsea player in the 2025–26 campaign, with Robert Sanchez, Trevoh Chalobah, and Malo Gusto all sent off in league games, while Joao Pedro saw red in the Champions League win over Benfica.
Maresca himself has also been dismissed for over-celebrating in the victory against Liverpool earlier this month.
“When it’s a red card like today, it’s embarrassing,” Maresca added.
“Two yellow cards in seven minutes — both avoidable.”
Delap will now serve a suspension and miss Chelsea’s crucial Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
