Maresca slams Chelsea for ‘giving away presents’

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca faced fresh frustrations as his side threw away a first-half lead to lose 3-1 to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday in a Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge. The defeat, marked by defender Trevoh Chalobah’s red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity early in the second half, saw Chelsea reduced to 10 men for the second consecutive league game and slip to just one point from their last three matches.

Chelsea took the lead through a well-executed header by midfielder Enzo Fernández in the 24th minute, following an intelligent cross from Reece James. The Blues controlled much of the first half, maintaining 70% possession, creating multiple chances, and appearing comfortable in their tactical setup. However, the complexion of the game changed dramatically in the 53rd minute when Chalobah, caught out by a poor back pass from Andrey Santos, committed a professional foul on Brighton’s Diego Gómez to prevent a clear scoring chance. After a VAR review, referee Simon Hooper issued a straight red card, leaving Chelsea to reorganize and improvise for the remainder of the match with a numerical disadvantage.

Brighton seized their opportunity, with substitutes Maxim De Cuyper and Danny Welbeck turning the match around. Welbeck’s powerful header leveled the score 1-1 with 13 minutes left, while De Cuyper’s unmarked header early in 11 minutes of stoppage time put Brighton ahead. Welbeck then capped the win with a second goal in the final moments. Chelsea’s inability to adapt after the sending-off raised significant questions about their composure and tactical flexibility under pressure, with Maresca lamenting his side’s recurring costly mistakes and “giving away presents” through indiscretions leading to red cards.

Maresca expressed his frustration post-match, insisting the club cannot continue to undermine themselves with avoidable errors, emphasizing the importance of discipline and maintaining full strength to compete consistently in the Premier League. The defeat compounds Chelsea’s struggles in their pursuit of stability and success under Maresca’s leadership, highlighting ongoing challenges in squad management and game management when faced with adversity.

For Brighton, the comeback victory marked a significant achievement, their manager Fabian Hürzeler praising his team’s resilience and calmness in the face of an early setback. The win adds to Brighton’s confidence and tactical maturity, while Chelsea are left to reassess their approach to maintaining composure and structure during crucial phases of play.

This result signals the need for Chelsea’s management to address defensive discipline and enhance tactical adaptability if they are to meet the demands of England’s top tier and halt their recent run of disappointing performances. Meanwhile, Fernández’s display reaffirms his growing importance to Chelsea’s midfield, though the broader squad will need collective improvement to counterbalance disciplinary lapses and sustain competitive consistency in a tightly contested league.