Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said forward Nicolas Jackson must learn from his mistakes after his red card in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United left the London side without a striker to lead the line for the final two games of the season.
The 23-year-old was sent off in the 36th minute, following a VAR review, for serious foul play and will miss Chelsea’s home game against Manchester United on Friday and the trip to Nottingham Forest on May 25.
“I didn’t speak to Nico, it’s not the moment. We will speak in the next day. No doubt he has to learn from it, especially at this stage of the season,” Maresca told reporters.
“You have to avoid this kind of thing. You need all your squad available. It happened, and he will be out. Hopefully he can learn for the future.”
With Christopher Nkunku still sidelined with injury and Marc Guiu not yet fully fit, Maresca has a shortage of attacking options for the run-in.
“Jackson is our nine, the other one is Marc Guiu, who has been injured for three months and is close to being back,” added Maresca. “We need to find a different solution.”
Chelsea are fifth, which would be good enough to qualify for next season’s Champions League, but with Aston Villa below them only on goal difference and Nottingham Forest just a point behind, Maresca is feeling the heat.
“My feeling is you need to win both games (to qualify for the Champions League),” he said of their final two fixtures.
Chelsea’s Jackson must learn from red card, Maresca says
https://arab.news/gfy74
Chelsea’s Jackson must learn from red card, Maresca says
- “Jackson is our nine, the other one is Marc Guiu, who has been injured for three months and is close to being back,” added Maresca
Mbappé equals ‘idol’ Ronaldo with his record 59th goal in a year for Real Madrid
- “It’s incredible, in my first (full) year to do what Cristiano did. (He’s) my idol, the best player in the history of Real Madrid,” Mbappé said
BARCELONA, Spain: Kylian Mbappé scored his 59th goal for Real Madrid in 2025 on Saturday to equal the club record for the most in a year held by Cristiano Ronaldo.
The milestone was about to escape the France striker until he converted a penalty kick with four minutes left to complete a 2-0 win over 10-man Sevilla in Madrid’s final game of the year.
Mbappé matched Ronaldo’s tally from 2013 on his 27th birthday. After embracing his teammates, he marked the feat with a subdued version of Ronaldo’s trademark goal celebration — whereby the Portugal forward leaps up and thrusts his arms downwards upon landing — before blowing a kiss at the television cameras.
The former Paris Saint-Germain star, who joined Madrid in the summer of 2024, has scored 29 times for Madrid this season, including a league-leading 18.
“It’s incredible, in my first (full) year to do what Cristiano did. (He’s) my idol, the best player in the history of Real Madrid,” Mbappé said.
“My celebration is for him. I wanted to do that because he helped me adapt here and now I can help Madrid win games with my goals. I wanted to share it with him. I have a really good relationship with him, he is my friend, and I wish him and all Madrid fans a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”
Jude Bellingham scored with a header in the 38th minute and Sevilla lost defender Marcao to a second booking for rash tackles with 20 minutes left.
Sevilla coach Matías Almeyda also was expelled by the referee during the halftime break apparently for protesting.
Alonso has been under pressure for several weeks due to a run of bad results and the overall lackluster play of his star-studded side. Spanish sports media is rife with speculation the first-year coach could be replaced.
Now Madrid club president Florentino Pérez will have two weeks to ponder the team’s future before its next game against Real Betis on Jan. 4.
Alonso could have ill afforded another slip at the Santiago Bernabeu after his side lost its previous two games. But Madrid’s fans still had reason to grumble after Sevilla repeatedly created scoring chances — even after being reduced to 10 men.
Alexis Sánchez, still spry at age 37, and right back Juanlu Sánchez stood out the most for a Sevilla side that poked holes in Madrid’s defense.
Madrid needed Thibaut Courtois to deny Alexis, Isaac Romero and Alfonso González on four strikes in the second half. But Sevilla could have gone ahead if it had just showed more finishing touch early on.
The result was still in doubt until Mbappé converted his spot kick after Juanlu fouled Rodrygo in the area.
Madrid is in second place at one point behind Barcelona before the leader visits third-placed Villarreal on Sunday.
