Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca revealed that he is almost certain that his red card for celebrating a late winner against Liverpool was worth it despite concerns over his team’s recent disciplinary record.
Maresca channelled his inner José Mourinho when he took off down the Stamford Bridge touchline at the start of October. Estêvão’s 95th-minute tap-in at the far post saw the Blues snatch a precious 2–1 victory over the defending Premier League champions, sparking wild scenes as fans, players and even the Italian head coach lost themselves in the moment.
A pile of blue shirts were soon joined by Maresca in the corner of Chelsea’s pulsating home ground to take in the stoppage-time winner. As the normally circumspect tactician pointed out, he was taken in by the dramatic nature of the moment.
“[It was a] nice emotion,” Maresca told assembled spectators at the Trento Sports Festival last week. “It’s the second season for me in this club but we had never won at home at the last minute.”
Maresca managed to contain himself for Tyrique George’s stoppage-time winner against Fulham last April and didn’t quite head for the corner flag after Reece James secured a 2–2 draw with Bournemouth in January courtesy of a 95th-minute free-kick.
“The reaction that led to the expulsion was instinctive, but maybe it was worth it,” he grinned.
Four red cards in their last five games. Chelsea are struggling to control themselves. pic.twitter.com/76wCYa40sr
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) October 5, 2025
It may have been worth it in the moment, but it continued a worrying trend of red cards for the Blues. Maresca’s dismissal—he was shown a second yellow card for leaving his technical area after earning a first-half booking for arguing too strongly for a penalty—was Chelsea’s fourth red card in the space of five games.
Heading into Liverpool’s trip to west London, Maresca had insisted he had no concerns about the club’s red-card record and his sending off doesn’t exactly encourage an atmosphere of undiluted discipline.
Whether Maresca continues to be defiantly unfazed by his decision to twirl down the touchline will be tested this weekend. The Italian won’t be allowed to watch his side take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday lunchtime.
READ THE LATEST CHELSEA NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS AND MORE
This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Maybe’—Enzo Maresca Makes Honest Admission About Chelsea Red Card vs. Liverpool.
