Enzo Maresca criticized the officials after Bayern Munich took advantage of Jonathan Tah avoiding a red card, handing Chelsea a tough welcome back to the Champions League.
Chelsea’s head coach didn’t hold back his frustration with Spanish referee José Sánchez Martínez, who only gave Tah a yellow card for a cynical foul on João Pedro in the first half at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night. Maresca insisted the Bayern defender should have been sent off after bringing down João Pedro in the buildup to Cole Palmer’s goal for Chelsea, who ultimately lost 3-1 to the Bundesliga champions in their opening group stage match.
“It should have been a red card,” Maresca said. “I’ve always said it’s a red when there’s no intention to play the ball and the only intent is to foul another player. Why wasn’t it given? The referee said it wasn’t hard or aggressive enough. So apparently, they need to see blood or something extreme to show a red. If the intention is there, it’s a red—no doubt about it.”
Maresca received a yellow card for his protests, and his frustration grew when Bayern substituted Tah at halftime. Bayern manager Vincent Kompany admitted the change was made because the German center-back was on a booking.
Despite the loss, Chelsea took some positives from a spirited performance after two years away from the Champions League. However, defensive mistakes proved costly. Trevoh Chalobah scored an own goal, and errors from Malo Gusto and Moisés Caicedo allowed Harry Kane to seal Bayern’s win with two goals, including one from the penalty spot.
“I’m pleased with the performance because we knew how difficult it would be to come here and face this team,” Maresca said. “It was a very tough game, but overall I think we competed well. For the first 20 minutes, we didn’t concede, created two chances, then gave up a goal and that changed the game.
“The players already understood the challenges. We can’t afford to make mistakes like we did, but I told them this is a game we can learn from and use to build something special despite the defeat.”
Maresca also confirmed that Cole Palmer, who seemed to be struggling with a groin issue late in the match, is fine. “I asked him after the game, and he said he’s okay,” the Italian added.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the incident involving Enzo Maresca and Bayerns Jonathan Tah
General Beginner Questions
Q What is this Its a red story about
A Its about a controversial moment in a soccer match where a player Jonathan Tah committed a foul that many thought deserved a red card but the referee only gave a yellow This decision infuriated the opposing coach Enzo Maresca
Q Who is Enzo Maresca
A He is an Italian football manager At the time of this incident he was the head coach of Bayer Leverkusen the team playing against Jonathan Tahs Bayern Munich
Q Who is Jonathan Tah
A He is a German professional soccer player who at the time was a defender for Bayern Munich He was the player who committed the foul
Q What exactly did Jonathan Tah do
A He made a late dangerous tackle from behind on an opponent These types of challenges are often punished with a red card for being reckless and endangering the safety of another player
Advanced Detailed Questions
Q Why was a red card such a big deal in this specific match
A The match was likely a crucial highstakes game A red card would have meant Tah was sent off forcing Bayern to play with 10 men for the rest of the game drastically shifting the momentum and giving Leverkusen a significant advantage
Q What is the official rule for a red card in this situation
A According to the Laws of the Game a red card is shown for serious foul play This is defined as a tackle that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force Many argued Tahs tackle fit this description
Q Did the referee or VAR review the decision
A This depends on the specific match but if VAR was in use the officials in the video booth would have checked the incident Their decision to not recommend an onfield review for a potential red card is what likely caused the most controversy and anger
Q What was the consequence of the referees decision
A The immediate consequence was that Tah stayed on the field and Bayern kept 11 players The broader consequence was intense frustration
