Chelsea will not have head coach Enzo Maresca in the dugout when they return to Premier League action against Nottingham Forest today.
The Blues visit the City Ground this lunchtime in the first top-flight fixture to take place following the October international break, hoping to continue to build momentum.
It’s been something of a stop-start season so far for Chelsea amid an injury crisis that has seen them play for long spells without a number of key stars, with attacking talisman Cole Palmer’s persistent groin issue set to rule him out until November.
Maresca’s side head into matchday eight sitting seventh in the Premier League table with three wins, two draws and two defeats from their opening seven games, seven points seeing them lie four short of early leaders Arsenal.
That was Chelsea’s fourth win in their last five matches across all competitions following an otherwise difficult September and they will fancy their chances of piling more misery on a struggling Forest outfit on Saturday.
The hosts currently sit just one place and one point above the relegation zone in 17th following a dismal start to the season that saw them sack Nuno Espirito Santo last month and quickly turn to Ange Postecoglou – a controversial decision that has certainly not paid off so far.
Wild scenes: Maresca was sent off for running down the touchline to celebrate with his Chelsea players after Estevao’s last-gasp winner against Liverpool
REUTERS
Why is Enzo Maresca banned for Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea?
Maresca will not be in the away dugout at the City Ground after being sent off following the late drama in Chelsea’s win over Liverpool.
Already on a yellow card, he was shown a second by referee Anthony Taylor for leaving his technical area and sprinting down the touchline to celebrate Estevao’s winner wildly with his players.
It was alleged that Maresca acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour, leading to a Football Association (FA) charge of misconduct.
He will be back in the dugout at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night when Chelsea take on Ajax in the Champions League, ahead of the Premier League visit of Sunderland and Carabao Cup last-16 meeting with Wolves.
Though Maresca is forbidden from being in the dugout or on the touchline before, during or after the match at the City Ground, he is permitted to pick the team as usual and enter the Chelsea dressing room before kick-off and at both half-time and full-time. He can also conduct pre and post-match media duties as normal.
Per FA rules, Maresca can also “communicate with the dugout by telephone, a ‘runner’ or any other electronic device such as a radio or mobile phone”.
However, he cannot shout instructions directly either to his players or the dugout, while he also cannot attempt to make contact with match officials, assessors or delegates at any time.
Maresca will be required to sit in the directors’ box at the City Ground, or if a seat is not available there then he must be in the “stand away from opposition supporters and away from the vicinity of the technical area”.
With Maresca absent, assistant coach Willy Caballero will be the lead man in the Chelsea dugout away at Forest, supported by first-team coaches Danny Walker and Roberto Vitiello, plus goalkeeping coach Michele de Bernardin and fitness coach Marcos Alvarez. Analysts Javi Molina and Bernardo Cueva are also on Maresca’s staff.
Speaking earlier this week, Maresca claimed that his celebrations against Liverpool were “instinctive” and “maybe worth it”.
“It’s a great feeling,” he said on stage at the Festival dello Sport in Italy. “This is my second season at the club, but we’d never won in the last minute at home before,” he said. “The reaction that led to the sending off was instinctive, but maybe it was worth it.
“We’re talking about one of the biggest clubs in the world, one that has struggled in recent years for various reasons.
“When I first signed, I felt the pressure of being the only Italian not to have won here (in Italy), but fortunately it hasn’t gone that way. Bringing this club back to the top is a very satisfying feeling.”
On social media after the game, having had to hand over post-match media duties to Caballero, he wrote: “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 focus and energy in what we can do better.”
