In a tense encounter at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest players and staff were embroiled in a heated pitch-side altercation during the closing minutes of their 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon. The incident occurred with Forest reduced to 10 men for the final 12 minutes, as Chelsea pressed for a potential winner. Complications arose when Forest’s Neco Williams appeared to push Marc Cucurella into Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca, resulting in Maresca falling to the ground. Subsequent footage surfaced, seemingly capturing Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson raising his hands towards Forest player Morato’s face. Although the VAR team reviewed the situation immediately after the event, they concluded that Jackson’s actions did not amount to violent conduct, meaning no disciplinary action was taken against him.
When inquired about Jackson’s involvement,
Enzo Maresca provided his perspective. “Yes but also someone tried to kick me there. When I fell down, I was there like this and someone arrived,” Maresca explained, detailing the chaotic moment. He further elaborated on the incident, stating, “I was just there. In my [technical] area. This is the most important thing. If these kinds of things happen when you’re not in your area, probably people can say that; ‘He was not where he should be’. At least I was in my area. It can happen. I’m okay, thank you.”
Additionally, as a consequence of the game’s proceedings, Chelsea is set to receive a fine from the Football Association due to the accumulation of six or more yellow cards during the match. Notably, both Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella received cautions, which renders them ineligible for Chelsea’s upcoming Premier League match against Liverpool after the October international break, as these bookings were their fifth yellow cards of the season.
