Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has come under criticism following his response to questions about the club's disciplinary record, particularly after statistics revealed the number of red cards received during his spell at Stamford Bridge.

According to a report by The Athletic on Friday, October 30, 2026, Maresca rejected suggestions that Chelsea had a serious red-card problem under his leadership, despite the club recording several dismissals during the 2025/26 season.

Chelsea received a total of 11 red cards last season, with 10 shown to players and another issued to Maresca himself.

The Italian manager was sent off after running along the touchline to celebrate Estevao Willian's late winning goal against Liverpool.

Seven of the 11 dismissals occurred before Maresca left Stamford Bridge on January 1, 2026, while the remaining four came under his successors, Liam Rosenior and Calum McFarlane.

Chelsea's disciplinary difficulties were particularly evident between September 20 and October 18, 2025, when the club received five red cards within a period of less than one month.

Maresca was recently asked about the issue during a media appearance following his departure from Chelsea to join Manchester City.

When questioned about whether the club had experienced a red-card problem during his time in charge, the Italian responded by asking whether the reporter was referring to the period when he was still at the club or after his departure.

After the journalist clarified the question, Maresca repeated his response and challenged the reporter's knowledge of the situation before insisting that he did not believe Chelsea had a major disciplinary problem.

However, the available statistics appear to contradict his position, considering that seven of the club's 11 red cards were recorded during his managerial tenure.

The disciplinary issues also continued after his exit, with Rosenior and McFarlane overseeing four additional dismissals during the remainder of the campaign.

Chelsea's disciplinary record has once again become a talking point following Cole Palmer's sending-off during the Blues' 2-0 Premier League defeat to Tottenham last weekend.

Although Palmer's dismissal was Chelsea's first red card of the 2026/27 season, the incident has renewed concerns about the club's discipline under current manager Xabi Alonso.