Chelsea return from the international break with a trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Forest boss Ange Postecoglou is under immense pressure after a slow start to his tenure with his new employers, and most of the attention on the sidelines is being directed in the way of the under-fire Australian.
One glance further down the touchline towards the Chelsea dugout, however, shows Postecoglou is not facing off against Enzo Maresca, but rather his assistant Willy Caballero.
Why Enzo Maresca Is Missing for Chelsea
Chelsea arrived at the international window in a frenzy after a late 2–1 win over Liverpool, with Estêvão’s dramatic winner sparking pandemonium both on the pitch and in the stands.
Lost in the chaos was a yellow card for Maresca, whose charge down the touchline to join in the celebrations did not sit well with referee Anthony Taylor. It was Maresca’s second booking of the day and a red card soon followed.
A one-match touchline ban was swiftly issued alongside a tidy fine, but Maresca was happy to admit he had no regrets about his actions.
“It was a nice moment,” he said. “Last season, I was banned for one game for the accumulation of yellow cards. Again, the last yellow card was against Fulham away, where we won a game in the last minute.
“So I think it’s part of our job, the moment, the passion, the reaction, and I think it’s also nice for everyone, for the fans, for the stadium. It was just a reaction.
“[The fine] is a lot, but it’s the rule. I think it was a reaction, a nice reaction. I was very happy in that moment. I need to accept the consequences. I’m quite happy to accept the consequences after that goal.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Is Enzo Maresca Not on the Touchline for Chelsea vs. Nottingham Forest?.