‘Why is one a red card and one isn’t?’: Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca unhappy with Caicedo dismissal in Arsenal draw

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has blasted the decision to send off Moises Caicedo during their 1–1 draw with Arsenal, accusing Premier League officials of inconsistent refereeing and pointing to a similar incident that went unpunished in a previous match.

Chelsea were forced to play more than 50 minutes with 10 men after Caicedo was shown a straight red card for an above-the-ankle challenge judged to involve excessive force. Despite the setback, the Blues took the lead through Trevoh Chalobah before Arsenal equalised via Mikel Merino.

Speaking after the match, Maresca expressed frustration at what he sees as contradictions in officiating standards.

“I think the red card is the red card. I struggle to understand the different ways to judge”, he told the BBC. “What about Bentancur to Reece? Why is one a red card and one isn’t? I think it’s a red card tonight… it’s clear. Why the difference? It is what it is”.

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The Chelsea boss also defended Caicedo, praising the midfielder’s mentality and commitment despite the outcome.

“Moises is always the same way. Top player for us. The desire from him is to try and win the game. It’s football. It’s between Chelsea and Arsenal”.

Maresca added that even with a man down, Chelsea maintained their structure and intentions with the ball, noting the squad’s improved cohesion this season.

“You have to double the effort; that is the most important thing. We didn’t change a lot on the ball. In open play, the idea was exactly the same. I think we are better than last season. We are closer. We’ll see where we are in February and March and then we’ll assess our target”.

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Chelsea remain six points behind league leaders Arsenal after the draw, though the performance with 10 men will feel like a point gained for many supporters.

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