Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says his players must end their red card curse after Brazilian striker Joao Pedro was sent off towards the end of a laboured 1-0 win over Jose Mourinho‘s Benfica.
Joao Pedro was dismissed for a second booking – a raised foot – in added time even though he had only been on the field for half an hour as a substitute.
He became the third Chelsea player to see red in four games after goalkeeper Robert Sanchex walked at Manchester United and defender Trevoh Chalobah against Brighton at the weekend.
Maresca said: ‘Unfortunately it’s another red card that we need to avoid.
‘Sanchez was not for a bad action, it’s just because he wants to defend the goal. Chalobah is because he wants to defend the goal.
‘And tonight I think for the second yellow card, Joao didn’t even touch the other player, but the dynamic of the action is dangerous one.
Enzo Maresca says his players must end their red card curse after Joao Pedro was sent off in the win over Benfica
The substitute was dismissed for a second booking having only been on the field for half an hour
‘So for me personally, there is not any concern or any issue. It’s just that in the moment probably you need to take a different reason and avoid this.
‘Sometimes it’s better to concede the goal or the chance because then it’s eleven versus eleven and you have more minutes to play.’
Chelsea won the game thanks to a 19th minute own goal from Benfica’s Richard Rios.
Afterwards Mourinho thanked the Chelsea fans for the songs they sang for him during the second on half on his latest return to the stadium where he made his name in English football.
Mourinho said: ‘I don’t feed myself with these memories, I feed myself with results. But I thank them. I was focused but you hear a bit of the sound.
‘When I am in London I meet them every day on the street.
‘My desire now is bigger than ever because when I came here first nobody was expecting anything from me.
‘My career took me to a position where everybody thinks I have magic to make things happen.
‘I left Man United after winning things, I left Tottenham after taking them to a final, Roma after two European finals. With me it is never enough.
‘If I am in a job I like to put myself on the line every day. I am desperate to win the match, that is the nature.’
