Chelsea's coach delighted to receive a red card

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed he does not regret receiving a red card due to excessive celebration, affirming that the feelings of triumph over Liverpool made it “entirely justified.”

Coach Enzo Maresca insisted he has no remorse for being sent off for over-celebrating during Chelsea’s thrilling 2-1 win over Liverpool, believing the emotions he felt were “totally deserved.”

The highlight match of Premier League Round 8 on the early morning of October 4 saw an intense chase at Stamford Bridge. Facing the risk of four consecutive winless games, the young Brazilian talent Estevao Willian shone at the right moment with a close-range tap-in in the 5th minute of stoppage time, securing a precious victory for "The Blues."

That late goal sent Stamford Bridge into an explosion of excitement. Unable to contain his emotions, Coach Maresca ran along the sideline and embraced his players near the corner flag. This action earned him a second yellow card from referee Anthony Taylor, resulting in his dismissal. The Italian tactician will miss the upcoming away match against Nottingham Forest on October 18, after the Premier League resumes following the international break.

Speaking at the Trento Sports Festival, Maresca admitted it was an instinctive reaction: “The match against Liverpool brought intense emotions. It was the first time since I took charge of Chelsea that the team won at home in the final minutes. I didn’t have time to think, I just acted on instinct. And honestly, I believe it was worth it,” he shared on the channel Gianluca Di Marzio.

Maresca also spoke about the pressure at Chelsea, a club that once dominated under Roman Abramovich before being taken over by Todd Boehly. He said he felt relieved to have helped the club win two trophies, the Conference League and Club World Cup, thus avoiding becoming the only Italian coach not to bring a trophy to Chelsea.

“Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in the world. After difficult years, bringing the team back to the top is a great pride. I was worried I might be the only Italian coach not to win here, but fortunately, that didn’t happen,” Maresca said.

Chelsea will return to action this weekend against Nottingham Forest before facing Ajax in the Champions League on October 22. "The Blues" are buoyed by a 1-0 win over Benfica, despite having lost 1-3 to Bayern Munich in the opening match.