Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has been hit with a one-match touchline ban and an £8,000 ($10,689) fine after admitting to misconduct during his side’s dramatic 2–1 victory over Liverpool, England’s Football Association (FA) confirmed on Wednesday.
The Italian manager lost control of his emotions after Chelsea’s stoppage-time winner at Stamford Bridge, sprinting down the touchline to celebrate wildly with his players. Referee Anthony Taylor showed Maresca a second yellow card for his exuberant reaction, leading to his dismissal in the 96th minute.
In a statement, the FA said it was alleged that the Chelsea boss “acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour during the fixture.” The governing body added that Maresca “admitted the charge and accepted the standard penalty.”
As a result, Maresca will be absent from the touchline when Chelsea travel to face Nottingham Forest in their next Premier League fixture on Saturday. His assistant staff are expected to oversee match day duties from the technical area.
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Chelsea currently sit seventh in the Premier League table with 11 points from seven matches, five behind early leaders Arsenal. The win over Liverpool marked an important moment in their campaign and also stretched their unbeaten run to four games across all competitions, giving their fans renewed optimism after a mixed start to the season.
However, Maresca’s upcoming absence from the touchline comes at a delicate time. The Italian has been central to Chelsea’s on-pitch organisation and tactical adjustments during matches, often directing play from the sidelines. Without him present against Nottingham Forest, the responsibility will fall on his assistants to maintain the team’s rhythm and communication.
Maresca, who took over as Chelsea manager in the summer after leading Leicester City to Championship promotion, has earned praise for implementing a possession-heavy system just like that of his mentor Pep Guardiola.Chelsea will look to maintain momentum without their manager on the sidelines as they continue their push toward the top four.