With five red cards for Chelsea now this season, we have taken a look at what could be causing their disciplinary issues, and if something sinister is going on at the club.
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea made it through to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in midweek with a 4-3 victory at Wolves.
Striker Liam Delap returned from injury, but was sent off after picking up two yellow cards.
The Blues have now received five yellow cards in all competitions, more than any Premier League side.
Chelsea manager Maresca has called the situation ’embarrassing’, but how bad is it really, any what’s causing his side’s dreadful discipline?
Liam Delap is shown a second yellow card. The Blues are down to ten.
🐺 2-3 ⚪️ [86] #CFC | #CarabaoCup
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 29, 2025
Chelsea Have The Most Red Cards In Europe’s Top Five Leagues This Season
Liam Delap’s dismissal was not an isolated incident. Chelsea have received more red cards than any other Premier League team this season.
Their five reds in all competitions is three more than any other side in England’s top flight.
In fact, no side in any of Europe’s top five leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1) has picked up more reds.
Only Spanish side Girona can match Chelsea’s five to date.
Enzo Maresca Slams ‘Embarrassing’ Chelsea Red Cards
Delap was a second-half replacement at Molineux on Wednesday.
But within 25 minutes of coming on, he was sent off after picking up two yellow cards.
The first came for pushing Yerson Mosquera off the ball, before he led with an elbow into Emmanuel Agbadou seven minutes later.
Discussing the latest Chelsea red card, Enzo Maresca pulled no punches.
He told Sky Sports: “Very stupid red card that was completely unnecessary.
“Absolutely deserved. It was a stupid foul. We can avoid that. I completely support the red card.
He added: “After the yellow card, I told him four or five times, keep calm. But Liam is a player inside the pitch, playing the game for himself and he struggles to listen to things around him.
“It is embarrassing when it is a red card like today. It is embarrassing to get two cards in seven minutes, both of which we can avoid.”
Delap will need to improve his discipline if he hopes to keep his place in the squad.
Chelsea are favourites to land Juventus ace Kenan Yildiz, with the 20-year-old striker rumoured to be a January target.
Why Is Chelsea’s Discipline So Bad?
There are a number of factors contributing to Chelsea’s red cards so far this season.
Much of the issue stems from the inexperience of the squad as a whole.
Chelsea regularly field one of the youngest sides in the Premier League, with players still learning their trade and yet to master the self control and game management of more experienced heads.
This leads them to commit unnecessary fouls or show dissent when their emotions get the better of them.
A lot of Chelsea’s reds have been completely avoidable, involving late tackles or confrontations when the result was already secure.
This shows more of an issue with concentration than a systemic aggression problem.
On top of this, Chelsea’s frequent rotation and injury problems mean young players are often caught out of position, increasing the chances of them being drawn into poorly timed tackles.
Enzo Maresca’s tactics and management also play a role.
Until now, the Chelsea boss has avoided publicly criticising his players for their poor discipline.
This is despite the Blues leading the Premier League in red and yellow cards since his arrival in 2022.
And with the team playing a high-intensity brand of football, a lot is being asked of their young squad, creating risky moments and the potential for more cards.
But despite their chaotic disciplinary record, Chelsea have kept winning games.
This shows both their resilience and quality, but this number of suspensions will eventually cost them in key moments against high-quality opponents.
Time will tell if they are able to get a lid on things, but discipline should improve as their young squad matures and learns from past mistakes.
Better game management and player accountability will be vital if the Blues are to change their habits moving forward.
