2 weeks ago
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Enzo Maresca has received a one-game touchline suspension following his enthusiastic celebration during Chelsea's recent triumph over Liverpool.
Just ahead of the international break, the Italian witnessed his team secure what was, arguably, the most important Premier League result of his tenure at Stamford Bridge. The Blues entered that fixture having endured consecutive Premier League losses to Manchester United and Brighton and were in desperate need of a win against the Reds to inject new life into their season.
When Estevao Willian struck a 96th-minute winner against the Merseysiders, Maresca sprinted down the touchline and leapt into his jubilant players, while embracing Chelsea supporters in the front row.
The former Leicester boss had already received a yellow card from the referee for dissent, and his Jose Mourinho-style dash down the touchline resulted in a second caution and a consequent red card.
Maresca's behaviour has now earned him a ban from the Football Association (FA).
In a statement, the FA confirmed: "Enzo Maresca has been given a one-match touchline ban and an £8,000 ($10,700) fine for misconduct during the Premier League game between Chelsea and Liverpool on Saturday 4 October.
"It was alleged the manager acted in an improper manner and/or used abusing and/or insulting words and/or behaviour during the fixture, which led to his dismissal round the 96th minute. Enzo Maresca has subsequently admitted the charge and accepted the standard penalty."
As a result, he will be absent from the touchline for Chelsea's journey to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The west London side currently sits on 11 points, having secured three victories, two draws, and suffered two losses.
With Premier League leader Arsenal holding a five-point lead over Chelsea, the Blues can't afford to let many more points slip if they have ambitions of vying for the title. This precarious situation might have been the catalyst for Maresca's exuberant celebration.
Following the match, he expressed his disappointment with his dismissal on Instagram. He penned: "Winning at the last moment was a beautiful joy for all of us.
"It was a shame not to be present at the final whistle to celebrate with our wonderful fans. Now recovery energy and focus in what we can do better."
In addition to the match against Forest, Chelsea also welcomes Ajax for its third Champions League game of the season just a few days later.
After clinching the Europa Conference League last season, Chelsea lost its opening match of Europe's premier competition 3-1 away to Bayern Munich before narrowly securing a 1-0 home victory over Benfica.
Much like their Premier League campaign, the Blues can't afford to lose many more points. It's easy to quickly fall behind the other top teams in the race for automatic qualification into the Champions League knockout stages.
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