Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca will serve a one-match touchline ban after he admitted a Football Association (FA) charge of misconduct following his dismissal in the 2-1 Premier League victory over Liverpool. The Blues manager has also been fined £8,000 by the FA after his wild celebration following Estevao’s last-gasp winner at Stamford Bridge before the international break.
Maresca celebrated with his players after Stamford Bridge erupted
Facing the possibility of going four Premier League games without a victory, teenager Estevao popped up with a crucial winner in Chelsea’s last-minute triumph over Liverpool on Saturday, 4 October. The Brazil international scored his first league goal for the club as he prodded home at the back post in the fifth minute of added time, and the strike sparked incredible scenes of jubilation in west London with Maresca getting caught up in the moment as he sprinted down the touchline to embrace his players near the corner flag.
AdvertisementAFPItalian's celebration was reminiscent of Mourinho's famous touchline sprint
The scene was reminiscent of Jose Mourinho’s famous celebration against Manchester United back in 2004, when the Portuguese – then manager of Porto – went tearing down the Old Trafford touchline following midfielder Costinha’s late strike in the last 16 of the Champions League. The match ended 1-1 and saw Porto edge past Sir Alex Ferguson’s side 3-2 on aggregate, ultimately going on to lift Europe’s premier club competition that year. Mourinho then became Chelsea boss for the first time in the summer of 2004, winning the Premier League and the League Cup in his first season in charge in 2004-05. After departing in 2007, he managed the club again between 2013 and 2015, winning another Premier League and League Cup double.
Confirmed: Maresca learns his punishment from the Football Association
But after mimicking Mourinho by sprinting down the touchline to celebrate with his players in front of the Chelsea faithful, Maresca was subsequently sent off by referee Anthony Taylor for his second bookable offence of the evening, having been cautioned for dissent earlier in the game.
The FA have now confirmed the Italian's punishment in a statement, which reads: “Enzo Maresca has been given a one-match touchline ban and £8,000 fine for misconduct during the Premier League game between Chelsea and Liverpool on Saturday, 4 October. It was alleged that the manager acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour during the fixture, which led to his dismissal around the 96th minute. Enzo Maresca subsequently admitted the charge and accepted the standard penalty.”
Maresca refused to be self-critical in aftermath of Liverpool win
In the aftermath of the victory over Liverpool, Maresca refused to be self-critical for letting his emotions get the better of him, insisting his celebration was an “instinctive” reaction to Chelsea securing a rare, late victory under his stewardship.
In quotes carried by Maresca told Trento Sports Festival: “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. The sending-off? (I’ve said) many times, football is passion, instinct. I probably didn't have time to think. It was an instinctive reaction, but I think it was worth it.”