Enzo Maresca reveals what Chelsea referee said as Bayern Munich escaped 'clear' red card

Enzo Maresca was adamant that Jonathan Tah should've been shown a red card during Chelsea's 3-1 loss to Bayern Munich - but the referee thought otherwise. The Blues were beaten on Wednesday, as they began their Champions League campaign in Germany.

Although Maresca was pleased with Chelsea's display, he was furious about one key decision. The incident happened in the build-up to Cole Palmer's 29th-minute goal, as Bayern defender Tah got into a tangle with Joao Pedro inside the centre circle.

The Germany international ended up bringing Chelsea forward Pedro to the ground, sparking fierce protests from the animated Maresca. After Palmer scored to reduce the deficit to 2-1, referee Jose Sanchez showed Tah a yellow card.

Maresca was also booked for his protestations, fuming that the Bayern centre-back was allowed to continue. Vincent Kompany chose to substitute Tah at half-time, as Chelsea were unable to stage a comeback.

Post-match, Maresca insisted that it was a 'clear' red card but Sanchez didn't think that Tah's foul was 'aggressive' enough to warrant a sending off. "For me it's a clear red card, yeah," the Blues manager told reporters.

"I have said, also in the Premier League, when there is no intention to go for the ball, just an intention to kick another player, why is it not a red card? The referee said to me because it was not hard or aggressive enough.

"But in any case you try, so to give a red card they need to see blood or something? If the intention it's a red card, for me it is not any doubt."

Asked if the result would've changed had Tah received a red card, Maresca replied: "Personally, I'm happy with the performance because we knew how difficult it was to come here against this team.

"We knew it was a very tough game, difficult game, but overall I think we competed very well, the first 20 minutes again we didn't concede anything, we created two, three clear chances then we conceded a goal and it changed a little bit, but even with that we were in the game until the end.

"For sure, it's very difficult to think you can come here and control the game for 95, 100 minutes. This is not a reality."

Tah gave his verdict in the mixed zone after full-time, saying: "If I had hit him [Pedro] in the face then yes. But no. I can understand the yellow card, it was the right decision."

Bayern boss Kompany turned the tables on Pedro, claiming that it was the Chelsea striker who should've been punished. "I wanted a foul the other way, I thought he got fouled, but I might be biased," Kompany admitted.

"I thought his shirt got pulled and I felt he was trying to free himself. He was getting turned so in that moment as a defender your natural instinct is you want to try to shake him off.

"I don't want to discuss the face too much. It's definitely not, in my opinion, that big of an event in that sense."

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