Enzo Maresca has waved away calls for Wilfred Ndidi to have been sent off after the Leicester midfielder’s scissor challenge on Cole Palmer sparked debate during Chelsea’s Premier League clash.
Softfootball gathered that Maresca addressed the incident directly after the match, insisting Ndidi’s intentions were never in question.
In his assessment, the Chelsea boss argued the Super Eagles international was simply going for the ball and that Palmer, while fortunate to avoid serious injury, wasn’t the victim of malicious intent.
The challenge had briefly threatened to overshadow the match itself, with pundits split on whether the referee had been too lenient.
Maresca’s public defense of an opposition player is somewhat unusual, but reflects a broader view within the game that the tackle, while risky, fell within the normal bounds of a competitive midfield battle rather than reckless endangerment.
Palmer continued the match unaffected by the incident, and Chelsea’s focus has since shifted toward their upcoming fixtures as the club looks to build momentum heading into a demanding festive schedule.
