Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has said he has no regrets about being sent off for his wild celebration following the Blues’ thrilling 2–1 victory over Liverpool, insisting that the emotion of the moment made it all “worth it.”
The Italian tactician was shown a red card after sprinting down the touchline to celebrate with his players when teenage star Estevão Willian scored a dramatic winner in the 95th minute at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, October 4.
Estevão’s first Premier League goal secured a vital win for Chelsea, who were on the verge of going four league games without a victory. The goal sparked euphoric scenes, with Maresca rushing to the corner flag to join his jubilant players — an act that earned him a second yellow card from referee Anthony Taylor.
As a result, Maresca will serve a suspension when Chelsea visit Nottingham Forest on October 18, after the international break.
Speaking later at the Trento Sports Festival, Maresca said he had no regrets about the incident, describing his reaction as “instinctive.”
“It was a huge emotion (against Liverpool). It’s my second season at Chelsea, and it was the first time we won at home in the last minute,” he said, as quoted by Gianluca Di Marzio.
“The sending-off? Football is passion, instinct. I probably didn’t have time to think. It was an instinctive reaction, but I think it was worth it.”
The Chelsea boss also reflected on the pressure of managing one of the world’s biggest clubs, acknowledging the legacy left by previous Italian coaches like Carlo Ancelotti, Antonio Conte, Roberto Di Matteo, Gianluca Vialli, Claudio Ranieri, and Maurizio Sarri.
“It’s one of the most important clubs in the world. In the last three or four years, for various reasons, it has struggled. Bringing the club back to a great level is a huge satisfaction,” Maresca said.
“When I signed for Chelsea, I felt the pressure of being the only Italian not to win here — but fortunately, that hasn’t been the case.”
Maresca guided Chelsea to Conference League and Club World Cup titles last season, restoring confidence and pride among the club’s supporters after several turbulent campaigns.
