Enzo Maresca blasted striker Liam Delap for his “very stupid red card” after Chelsea nearly blew a three-goal lead in a wild 4-3 Carabao Cup win over Wolves.
Chelsea looked in total control at half-time thanks to goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, and Estêvão, but Wolves fought back with a spirited second-half rally led by David Møller Wolfe’s brace and Tolu Arokodare’s strike. Jamie Gittens sealed victory late on, though Delap’s reckless dismissal overshadowed the win.
Returning from injury, Delap picked up two yellow cards in seven minutes for needless fouls, leaving Maresca furious. “It’s embarrassing — I told him four or five times to keep calm,” the Chelsea boss said. “This team needs to grow up. It’s part of the journey.”
Wolves boss Vítor Pereira praised his side’s fight despite the loss, calling it “one of the best groups of my career.” Both clubs made heavy rotations, with Wolves showing signs of life despite sitting bottom of the Premier League.
Chelsea advance to face Cardiff in the quarter-finals, but Delap will miss Saturday’s league clash with Tottenham.
