Enzo Maresca tore into Liam Delap after Chelsea’s chaotic 4-3 Carabao Cup win over Wolves, calling the striker’s late dismissal “very stupid” and warning his young team to “grow up.”
Chelsea looked in cruise control after first-half goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, and Estêvão put them 3-0 up, but a second-half collapse nearly saw Wolves pull off an unlikely comeback.
Delap, returning from injury, was sent off just 20 minutes after coming on, picking up two yellow cards in seven minutes for reckless fouls. “After the first yellow I told him to keep calm,” Maresca said. “But he doesn’t listen — it’s embarrassing. We need to mature as a team.”
Wolves fought back through Tolu Arokodare and a brace from David Møller Wolfe, but Jamie Gittens’ fine strike sealed Chelsea’s passage to the quarter-finals.
Despite the win, Maresca’s side have now seen six red cards in their last nine matches. Wolves boss Vítor Pereira praised his players’ fight, insisting the performance showed “the spirit, will, and character” needed to escape the Premier League relegation zone.
