Maresca Calls Late Win a ‘Beautiful Joy’ and Addresses Red Card Incident After Dramatic 2-1 Victory Over Liverpool

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has spoken out following his side’s dramatic 2-1 win over Liverpool on Saturday evening, a match that ended with the Italian being sent off deep into stoppage time for his wild celebration.

Maresca, who received a second yellow card after sprinting down the touchline to celebrate Estevao Willian’s 95th-minute winner, was automatically barred from conducting his post-match media duties under FA regulations.

Less than 48 hours after the thrilling finish at Stamford Bridge, the Chelsea boss shared his thoughts on Instagram, describing the victory as “a beautiful joy for all of us.” He acknowledged the frustration of not being able to celebrate with the fans at full-time, adding: “It was a shame not to be present at the final whistle to celebrate with our wonderful fans. Now recovery, focus and energy in what we can do better.”

While Maresca was unavailable to speak directly to the press, his assistant coach Willy Caballero represented him during post-match interviews. Caballero relayed Maresca’s delight at both the performance and the late winner, explaining that the head coach was “so happy with the result and wanted to praise the players for the effort they’ve done.”

Caballero also reiterated that the team fully believed they “deserved the victory” based on the quality of chances created and their overall control of the game. Despite the euphoric ending, Maresca’s emphasis on recovery and improvement showed his determination to keep the squad focused ahead of their next challenge.

Following his red card—his second yellow coming after an earlier caution for dissent Maresca will serve a one-match touchline ban. He will be forced to watch from the stands when Chelsea travel to face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on October 18, after the international break.