Enzo Maresca criticised Liam Delap for his “very stupid red card” after Chelsea’s wild 4-3 Carabao Cup win over Wolves, warning his young team to “grow up” after nearly throwing away a 3-0 lead.
Chelsea stormed ahead through goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, Estêvão, and Jamie Gittens, but a late collapse almost saw Wolves pull off an unlikely comeback. Two goals from David Møller Wolfe and one from Tolu Arokodare gave the Premier League’s bottom side hope before time ran out.
Delap, returning from injury, was sent off seven minutes after coming on for two rash fouls — a decision that left Maresca furious. “It’s embarrassing,” the Chelsea boss said. “After his first yellow, I told him four or five times to stay calm. But he struggles to listen when he’s in the game.”
The red card was Chelsea’s sixth in nine matches, adding to their disciplinary woes. Despite the nervy finish, Maresca praised Wolves’ fight and admitted his team “panicked” after conceding. “It’s part of the journey — we need to grow up,” he said.
Wolves manager Vítor Pereira, who made 11 changes, took positives from his side’s spirited second half, calling his squad “one of the best groups of my career.”
Chelsea will now face Cardiff in the quarter-finals — but without Delap, who will be suspended for Saturday’s league trip to Tottenham.
