Maresca Handed One-Match Ban After Wild Liverpool Celebrations

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has been given a one-match touchline ban and fined £8,000 following his ejection during Chelsea’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Liverpool earlier this month.​

The Italian manager was shown a second yellow card deep into stoppage time after sprinting down the touchline to celebrate Estevao Willian’s 95th-minute winner with his players at Stamford Bridge. Referee Anthony Taylor dismissed Maresca moments later for leaving his technical area and behaving in an “improper manner” according to the Football Association (FA) report.​

FA Statement and Punishment

The FA confirmed that Maresca admitted the misconduct charge and accepted the standard punishment. As a result, he will miss Chelsea’s Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest this Saturday. The governing body added that Maresca’s actions also included “abusive or inappropriate language and behaviour” during the 96th minute of the match.​

Assistant coach Willy Caballero is expected to take charge from the sidelines at the City Ground. This marks Maresca’s second touchline suspension since taking over at Chelsea in June 2024, having previously served a ban in April for celebrating a late winner against Fulham.​

Maresca’s Reaction

Speaking to Italian media after the match, Maresca called his celebration “an instinctive reaction,” adding, “It was pure emotion — and honestly, it was worth it.”​

Chelsea’s win over Liverpool ended a run of two successive defeats and lifted the Blues to seventh place in the Premier League table, five points behind early leaders Arsenal.​

Despite the suspension, Maresca’s jubilant touchline sprint has drawn comparisons to iconic Premier League moments of celebration — and underscored the pressure surrounding Chelsea’s start to the season.​

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