Enzo Maresca's surprising reaction after Wilfred Ndidi 'lost his rag' with Cole Palmer tackle
Wilfred Ndidi could count himself lucky to escape with a yellow card after catching Cole Palmer on the back on his heel while attempting to win the ball during Leicester's 2-1 loss to Chelsea
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca surprisingly defended Wilfred Ndidi after the Leicester star's rash challenge on Cole Palmer and insisted he did not deserve to be red carded.
Maresca's secured a 2-1 victory over his former club on Saturday as goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez helped the Blues claim three after Jordan Ayew scored a consolation from the spot.
Earlier in the game, Ndidi could count himself lucky to escape with a yellow card after catching Chelsea midfielder Palmer on the back on his heel while attempting to win the ball at the King Power Stadium.
A VAR review of the incident was carried out but officials at Stockley Park were satisfied that referee Andy Madley did not make an error and opted not to upgrade his yellow card.
Ndidi's challenge was slammed by former Chelsea star Joe Cole in the TNT Sports studio. He said the midfielder "lost his rag" with the tackle - but Maresca defended the player he managed last season and said there was no "bad intention"
"I don't think the target is Cole," the Italian said after the game. "I said after the Man United game, when there is bad intention, it has to be a different punishment from the referee. I'm not saying Wilf had a bad intention because I love Wilf.
"It's not just our players. For me, it's general. Whenever there is bad intention, the punishment has to be different." When asked if Ndidi should have seen red, Maresca replied: "I don't think so, to be honest."
The reaction of Maresca - who played Ndidi 36 times in the Championship last season as he helped the Foxes return to the Premier League - was totally different to pundit Cole, who was baffled that the Foxes man didn't see red.
"That tackle, he could hurt him there," Cole said. "It's a terrible tackle. This is a game where they were miles off it, Leicester, and at the height of their frustration, he's lost his rag, he should be sent off.
"He nearly scores the equaliser. If he plays a part in getting Leicester back in the game i'd imagine Enzo Maresca will be furious."
Fellow pundit Peter Crouch said: "I agree with joe. It's dangerous. That could snatch his achilles and that's something we stamp out of the game."
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