Pedro’s Pain But Maresca Marches On: Chelsea Edge Benfica as UCL Ban Confirmed

Jose Mourinho’s Stamford Bridge homecoming was warm enough, but the hospitality stopped there as Chelsea scraped past Benfica 1-0 on a night that mixed relief with exasperation. Enzo Maresca banked his first Champions League win as a manager, yet finished muttering about discipline after Joao Pedro managed to collect two yellows in half an hour.

The match in brief

One moment decided it: Richard Rios turned Alejandro Garnacho’s fizzed cross into his own net on 18 minutes, and that was the lot. Chelsea had control in patches, Benfica had their spells, but Maresca’s men did enough to keep Mourinho’s side at arm’s length. Credit where it’s due — Moises Caicedo was a machine in midfield, chalking up eight tackles, the most by a Chelsea player in a Champions League game since the 2016/17 season. That’s what elite European graft looks like.

Pedro’s rash cameo

With Tyrique George leading the line from the off, Pedro was kept in reserve until the 61st minute. He was in the book almost immediately for a clumsy aerial tangle off a throw-in that left Enzo Barrenechea in a heap. Then, deep in stoppage time, came the killer: a high-boot attempt to contest a loose ball. He didn’t actually catch Leandro Barreiro, but referee Daniel Siebert called it reckless. Second yellow, off you go. It’s not his first early bath either — he saw red in a 4-2 defeat for Brighton against Brentford back in the day.

What the ban means

Here’s the key bit: Pedro’s dismissal was for two bookable offences, so it triggers a one-match Champions League suspension only. He’ll MISS the home tie with Ajax on 22 October, he CANNOT appeal, and he’ll be back for the trip to Qarabag in the next league-phase game. Crucially, the ban doesn’t spill into the Premier League, so he’s free to face Arne Slot’s Liverpool this weekend.

If you’re already weighing up form and fixtures on the best betting sites, factor in that Maresca won’t have Pedro for Ajax but does for Liverpool. It’s a small mercy after a silly dismissal.

Maresca’s balancing act

Three red cards in four matches is a rotten habit. Robert Sanchez’s reckless lunge, Trevoh Chalobah’s dismissal in the 3-1 loss to Brighton, and now Pedro’s rush of blood — that’s a trend Maresca must stamp out. The structure is coming together, the press looks cleaner, and this was a smart European win. But in the Champions League, a lack of composure is the quickest route to self-sabotage.

Tactical takeaway

George through the middle gave Chelsea freshness and verticality, while Caicedo’s bite set the tone in midfield. The back line looked mostly comfortable, and there was a tidy edge to game management — until stoppage time. If Maresca gets the temperament right, these marginal wins can multiply. For now, it’s three points banked, lessons learned, and a note pinned to the dressing-room wall: keep eleven on the pitch.

The bottom line

Pedro’s red won’t derail Chelsea’s domestic plans, but it does complicate the European schedule. Miss Ajax at home and the pressure nudges up; be back for Qarabag and make amends. Maresca has his first UCL victory — now he needs his players to show the maturity to back it up.