Maresca denies Chelsea ‘discipline problem’ after spate of red cards

Enzo Maresca said Friday he does not believe his Chelsea team have a “discipline problem” following a spate of red cards as he prepares for the visit of Premier League leaders Liverpool.

The Blues have been reduced to 10 men in three of their past four matches, two of which have been defeats.

Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was shown a red card in a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United while Trevoh Chalobah was sent off in last week’s 3-1 loss to Brighton.

Forward Joao Pedro suffered the same fate late in Tuesday’s Champions League match against Jose Mourinho’s Benfica but Chelsea won 1-0.

Chelsea manager Maresca said it was important to assess each situation on a case-by-case basis.

“When it’s a red card for bad intention or for bad discipline, it’s different compared to the Manchester United red card or Brighton red card,” he said. 

“In that case, it’s just the decision that you have to take in two seconds, three seconds. Do I do foul or not? 

“It’s difficult. So we analyse case for case. Again, I don’t see any discipline problem, even if we consider three or four red cards, that is not something normal. But again, it’s for different reasons.”

Chelsea started the Premier League season strongly before stumbling and are now eighth in the table after taking just one point from their past three games.

But Maresca is confident his team are heading in the right direction.

“Most of the games where we didn’t get the points is because they were games very complicated for us in terms of, again, unfortunately, red cards,” he said. 

“But no doubt that also the injury situation — we have at this moment I think eight players out. So it’s a mix but we don’t have any doubt that slowly, slowly we’re going to be again where we need to be.”

Maresca rejected the notion that Liverpool would be more vulnerable after Arne Slot’s team suffered back-to-back defeats against Crystal Palace and Galatasaray, in the Champions League.

“It’s always a tough game, always a big team,” he said ahead of Saturday’s game at Stamford Bridge.

“For me personally, the way they are doing this season, in any case, is fantastic. Especially after (Diogo) Jota’s tragedy.”

The Liverpool forward was killed in a road accident in Spain in July.

“It’s not easy for the players, it’s not easy for the club, it’s not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training ground and you see every day that place empty,” said Maresca.

“So you have to be very strong and this is the reason why for me they are doing not good, even better than good, even more.”