Chelsea’s poor discipline on the field has come at a high cost, with the Football Association slapping the club with a massive £115,000 fine for accumulating yellow cards.
However, manager Enzo Maresca took the situation lightly, humorously dismissing the issue by saying, “It’s not my problem!” and adding that he won’t be paying the fines personally.
This wave of bookings began under former manager Mauricio Pochettino, with Chelsea’s 105 yellow cards last season setting a Premier League record.
Under Maresca’s management, the trend has continued, with Chelsea collecting 36 yellow cards in just nine matches this season—a tally unmatched by any other team, with Southampton and Wolves trailing behind.
The FA imposes a £25,000 fine when a team receives six or more yellow cards in a single game.
Chelsea has already crossed this threshold three times this season, with the latest incidents occurring during their 1-0 victory at Bournemouth, a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest, and a recent 2-1 win over Newcastle.
The club’s mounting fines include £75,000 from these bookings and an additional £40,000 for their involvement in a mass brawl during the Forest match earlier in October, which saw both Chelsea and Nottingham Forest penalized after Neco Williams pushed Marc Cucurella into Maresca, escalating tensions on the pitch.
Forest received an even higher fine of £125,000 for failing to control their players.
When asked about the fines, Maresca downplayed the situation, asserting that Chelsea doesn’t have a discipline issue.
In his post-match remarks, he joked, “I’m not going to pay, it’s not my problem!” and defended his players, saying, “The team is fighting as one. I don’t think anyone lost their head; they stayed in the game, which I was happy with.”
Although he acknowledged the need for some improvement in discipline, Maresca emphasized his satisfaction with the team’s spirit, adding, “I like how they’re battling together. I don’t see a problem with that.”
As Chelsea prepares for a Carabao Cup rematch against Newcastle on Wednesday, they hope for a less chaotic encounter.