Chelsea advanced to the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup after a 4–3 win over Wolverhampton, but the victory was overshadowed by frustration from manager Enzo Maresca, who erupted at his forward Liam Delap following a senseless red card. The Italian coach didn’t hold back in his post-match comments, labeling the young striker’s actions as “shameful.”

A Red Card That Infuriated Maresca

Liam Delap’s return to the pitch could hardly have gone worse. Two months after recovering from a hamstring injury, the English striker donned the blue shirt again—only for his comeback to last just 26 minutes. Coming on in the 60th minute, he received two yellow cards within seven minutes, leaving Chelsea with ten men for the closing stages.

“It’s shameful to get sent off like that today,” a visibly angry Maresca said after the match. “It was a stupid, totally avoidable foul. After the first yellow, I told him several times to calm down, but Liam sometimes plays for himself and doesn’t listen. This cannot happen again.”

The Italian coach, furious on the touchline, didn’t hesitate to confront Delap as he walked off, knowing his lack of discipline could have cost the team dearly. This latest dismissal means Chelsea have now picked up six red cards in their last nine matches, including one for Maresca himself after an excessive celebration against Liverpool.

A Hard-Fought Win Despite the Chaos

Despite the disciplinary issues, the London side—fielding a heavily rotated squad—managed to edge past Wolverhampton thanks to a standout performance from Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos, who scored once and provided an assist, and young Jamie Gittens, who notched a goal and two assists.

The Blues dominated the first half and went into the break with a commanding 3–0 lead through goals from Santos, Tyrique George, and Estêvão. However, in the second half, Wolves capitalized on defensive lapses to pull two goals back via Arokodare and David Wolfe, the latter bagging a brace.

Even after Delap’s dismissal, Chelsea held firm to secure their place in the next round, as they continue their pursuit of a first Carabao Cup title since the 2014–15 season, when the team was led by José Mourinho.

The victory left a bittersweet taste for Maresca, who sent a strong message to his squad: discipline and focus are non-negotiable. “We can win, lose, or draw, but what we can’t do is switch off mentally. That’s what’s truly shameful,” the coach concluded.