In the build-up to the forthcoming derby clash between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, manager Enzo Maresca has moved to clarify comments he made regarding striker Liam Delap following the player’s red-card incident in the midweek League Cup victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Maresca admitted that his earlier remarks had been misunderstood and that while Delap made an error in judgment, his faith in the young forward’s potential remains intact.
The Italian tactician had come under scrutiny after describing Delap’s red card as “embarrassing and stupid” following the 4-3 win over Wolves. The 21-year-old striker, who had come off the bench, was dismissed after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession, putting his team under unnecessary pressure despite their eventual victory.
Speaking to the media on Friday ahead of Chelsea’s crucial Premier League meeting with Tottenham, Maresca sought to set the record straight. “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,” he said.
Maresca also revealed that Delap had immediately shown remorse after the match. “He apologised to everyone in the dressing room straight after the game,” he noted. “It’s something we need to learn from, something we need to do better. For sure, in the future, we will be better on that.”
The Chelsea boss clarified that his earlier words were not meant as a personal attack but rather a reflection of frustration at the avoidable nature of the red card. He also admitted that some of his comments may have been lost in translation. “I’m not from England, so sometimes when I try to translate from Italian to English, it comes out a bit different,” Maresca explained.
Delap’s dismissal was particularly disappointing for Maresca, who had recently reintegrated the striker into the squad after injury. The forward received his first booking for a shove on Yerson Mosquera before picking up a second yellow for a late challenge on Emmanuel Agbadou.
Maresca expressed frustration that his player had not heeded warnings to calm down after the initial caution. “After the yellow card, I told him four or five times to keep calm,” he recalled. “But Liam is a player that when he’s inside the pitch, he plays the game for himself, and he struggles to realise and to listen around him.”
Despite the stern public words, Maresca reaffirmed his belief in Delap’s long-term potential. “I know that Liam will be a fantastic player for us, but there are some things, like the rest, that he needs to improve,” he said.
“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.”
The Chelsea boss also took the opportunity to address the wider disciplinary concerns that have plagued his side in recent weeks. The Wolves match marked Chelsea’s fifth red card in their last nine fixtures — a statistic that Maresca conceded was alarming.
“Again, some of the red cards we could avoid,” he said. “It’s something we need to learn, something we have to do better.”
For Maresca, instilling composure and discipline is now a top priority as he continues to shape a young, evolving Chelsea team. The club’s attacking play has shown signs of promise under his leadership, but lapses in discipline have repeatedly derailed their progress.
Maresca acknowledged that such mistakes cannot be tolerated if Chelsea are to compete seriously in both domestic and European competitions.
In terms of team news ahead of the London derby, Maresca confirmed that Delap will miss the match through suspension, while Cole Palmer remains unavailable due to injury. However, there was positive news as Enzo Fernández, Moises Caicedo and João Pedro have all been declared fit and ready for selection.