Chelsea: Enzo Maresca set for second touchline ban as tempers boil over at Newcastle | OneFootball

Blues boss gets Christmas off after being shown a third yellow card of the season

Enzo Maresca is set to be banned for Chelsea’s match against Aston Villa on December 27.

It will be Maresca’s second touchline ban, after he was booked and then sent off for leaving his technical area to celebrate Estevao Willian’s late winner against Liverpool in October.

Maresca subsequently missed the 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest later in the same month.

But he must now sit in the stands once more, at Stamford Bridge against Villa on December 27, after being cautioned by Andy Madley at St James’ Park on Saturday.

Maresca explained in his post-match press conference that his booking was for complaining about a yellow card shown to one of his players. He has pointed out to Madley that he felt Newcastle had committed three identical fouls, of which none were punished with yellow cards.

It is Maresca's third yellow of the season — aside from the two against Liverpool — after he was already shown bookings in September’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester United and in last month’s 2-0 win at Burnley.

Chelsea’s discipline has been called into question already this season after a number of red cards.

Against Newcastle, Maresca’s yellow card was one of seven shown to Chelsea players and staff. They will be faced with a £50,000 fine and a warning from the FA. Their first fine of this ilk this season was a £25,000 fine shown for picking up five yellow cards and a red card at Old Trafford in September.

Six or more yellow cards triggers an FA fine for any team.