Enzo Maresca slammed Liam Delap for his “very stupid red card” as Chelsea survived a late scare to beat Wolves 4-3 and reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Chelsea looked comfortable after first-half goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, and Estêvão, before Jamie Gittens added a fourth. But Wolves fought back through Tolu Arokodare and a brace from David Møller Wolfe, forcing Chelsea to hang on nervously.
Delap, returning from injury, was sent off after two reckless fouls in seven minutes. “It’s embarrassing,” Maresca said. “I told him four or five times to stay calm. But he struggles to listen when he’s on the pitch. The team needs to grow up and gain experience.”
The red card was Chelsea’s sixth in nine games, adding to Maresca’s frustration after his own dismissal against Liverpool.
Wolves boss Vítor Pereira praised his players’ spirit despite another defeat. “To come back from 3-0 down shows the character of this group,” he said. “We just need one win to believe again.”
Chelsea now face Cardiff in the quarter-finals and meet Wolves again in the Premier League next week.
