Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has taken a surprisingly positive stance on his team’s recent red-card run, viewing it as a teaching opportunity rather than a discipline problem. The Blues have collected red cards in each of their last four matches and in five of their last six, with dismissals contributing to defeats against Manchester United and Brighton. Maresca himself was also sent off during a 2-1 win against Liverpool earlier this month.
Maresca believes that instead of punishing his players, he should help them understand and learn from their mistakes. He compares his approach to how he would discipline his own children, saying, “I have four kids. When they do something wrong, I don’t punish them; I try to teach them to do the right things. I try to treat the players in the same way, to try to help them to understand.” Maresca emphasizes that the red cards are not necessarily a result of bad intentions, but rather split-second decisions made in the heat of the moment.
Despite the setbacks, Maresca remains confident in his team’s abilities and is focused on improving their discipline and overall performance. He notes that Chelsea’s only loss with 11 players on the field was the 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich earlier this month. Maresca’s approach seems to be working, as Chelsea was able to win their recent match against Benfica despite being reduced to 10 men.
