Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will miss his side’s upcoming Premier League clash with Everton at Stamford Bridge after being handed a one-match touchline ban for excessive celebrations during Sunday’s dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Fulham.
The Italian was shown a yellow card by referee Anthony Taylor following Pedro Neto’s 93rd-minute winner, which sparked wild scenes on the Chelsea bench. The goal came just moments after Tyrique George had leveled the match, as the Blues overturned a deficit in the dying minutes at Craven Cottage.
During the celebrations, members of the coaching staff and substitutes surged onto the pitch, with Maresca joining in before quickly retreating to the sidelines.
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“I was very happy, first of all because it’s a great feeling to win late on,” Maresca said post-match. “But it was a moment for the players—they deserved to share it with the fans. That’s why I left the pitch straight away. I celebrated the second goal, and that’s why I got the yellow.”
Sunday’s caution was Maresca’s third of the season—following earlier bookings against Bournemouth and Newcastle—triggering an automatic one-match suspension under Premier League rules.
As a result, assistant coach Willy Caballero will lead the team from the technical area when Chelsea face Everton on Saturday, while Maresca will watch from the stands as his side continues their push for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.
