Maresca Says Liam Delap Has Apologised After Costly Red Card In Chelsea’s Cup Win

31 Oct 2025, 14:42 by Ernest Victor · Naija News

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has revealed that Liam Delap apologised to his teammates after his red card in Wednesday’s 4-3 League Cup victory over Wolves.

Naija News reports that Liam Delap, 22, who made his first appearance since August, was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in just seven minutes.

His dismissal drew sharp criticism from Maresca, who branded the player’s actions “stupid” and “embarrassing.”

“Straight after the game, in the changing room, he apologised to everyone,” Maresca told reporters on Friday. “I spoke with Liam, he knows everything, he’s aware of the situation, he knows that he made a mistake. Full stop. No more than that.”

Delap’s red card means he will miss Chelsea’s Premier League trip to Tottenham this weekend.

The young forward joined the Blues in June from Ipswich in a £30 million deal but has scored only once since his arrival.

After the Wolves match, Maresca had said Delap “plays for himself,” but the Italian later clarified that those remarks were misinterpreted.

“Liam, on the pitch, is more focused on his battle with the central defender than the rest. This was what I was trying to say after the Wolves game,” he explained. “I know that Liam will be a fantastic player for us, but there are some things, like the rest, that he needs to improve.”

Chelsea’s disciplinary problems have been a recurring theme this season. The Blues have had players sent off in five of their last nine matches, and Maresca himself was shown a red card earlier this month for celebrating a late winner against Liverpool.

“In this moment, we are trying to do everything to avoid these kinds of situations. Hopefully, we can learn and be better in the future,” he said.

Chelsea slipped to ninth in the Premier League after a 2-1 home defeat to Sunderland last weekend. Despite that setback, they remain just three points behind third-placed Tottenham ahead of Saturday’s clash in north London.