Incoming Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca faces an immediate touchline suspension after being hit with a Football Association charge for misconduct during his final games with Leicester City.
The Italian coach, who was officially appointed as Chelsea's new head coach earlier this week, finds himself in hot water over an incident during Leicester's Championship clash against Huddersfield Town last month.
What Exactly Happened?
Maresca has been charged with 'improper and/or threatening' behaviour towards a match official following Leicester's dramatic 3-0 victory over Huddersfield on April 27th. The confrontation occurred during the heated Championship encounter that saw the Foxes secure their promotion to the Premier League.
The FA statement confirmed: "It's alleged that the manager's language and/or behaviour during the 81st minute of the fixture was improper and/or threatening."
Timing Couldn't Be Worse for Chelsea
This development comes at the worst possible time for Maresca, who only just signed a five-year contract with Chelsea to replace Mauricio Pochettino. The 44-year-old now faces a potential touchline ban that could see him miss crucial early matches of his Stamford Bridge reign.
Maresca has until Friday, June 7th to respond to the charge, leaving Chelsea sweating over whether their new manager will start the season watching from the stands rather than directing operations from the technical area.
Previous Warnings Come Back to Haunt Maresca
This isn't the first time the Italian coach has found himself in trouble with football authorities. Maresca was previously warned about his conduct earlier in the season following another incident involving match officials.
The timing raises serious questions about Chelsea's due diligence process during their extensive manager search, with the club now potentially facing an immediate disruption to their pre-season preparations.
Chelsea fans will be hoping this early setback doesn't set the tone for Maresca's tenure at Stamford Bridge, as the club looks to bounce back from a disappointing sixth-place finish last season.
