Chelsea striker Liam Delap has apologized to his teammates and manager Enzo Maresca after being sent off in the Blues’ dramatic 4–3 League Cup win over Wolves on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old forward received two yellow cards within seven minutes of coming off the bench, a moment that drew sharp criticism from Maresca, who described his behaviour as “stupid” and “embarrassing.”
Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s weekend clash with Tottenham, Maresca revealed that Delap immediately owned up to his mistake after the game.
“Straight after the game, in the changing room, he apologised to everyone,” Maresca said on Friday.
“I spoke with Liam. He knows he made a mistake, he understands the situation. That’s it, full stop.”
The Italian coach later clarified his post-match remarks, saying his earlier comments were misunderstood. He explained that his intention was to highlight Delap’s need to stay more focused on the game rather than personal duels with defenders.
“What I meant was that Liam sometimes gets too focused on his battles with central defenders instead of the bigger picture,” Maresca explained.
“He’s still young, but I believe he’ll become a fantastic player for us. Like everyone else, there are things he needs to improve.”
Delap, who joined Chelsea from Ipswich in June for £30 million, has managed just one goal this season. His suspension means he will miss Saturday’s Premier League trip to Tottenham.
Chelsea’s disciplinary problems have been a recurring theme this season. The Blues have finished five of their last nine games with 10 men, while Maresca himself was sent off earlier this month for his celebrations after a late winner against Liverpool.
“We’re doing everything possible to avoid these kinds of situations,” Maresca added. “Hopefully we can learn and do better going forward.”
Chelsea, currently ninth in the Premier League after a 2–1 home loss to Sunderland, sit only three points behind third-placed Tottenham ahead of the London derby.
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