‎Moises Caicedo Suspended for Man City Showdown After Early Booking Leaves Chelsea Reeling

‎Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo has found himself at the centre of criticism after collecting his fifth yellow card of the Premier League season only minutes into Tuesday night’s match against Bournemouth. The caution automatically triggers a one-game suspension, ruling him out of Chelsea’s upcoming showdown with Manchester City and sparking frustration among supporters.

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Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo will miss the Premier League clash against Manchester City after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season just minutes into the Bournemouth match.

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‎Caicedo to miss crucial Manchester City fixture

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‎Named in Chelsea’s starting lineup against Bournemouth, Caicedo made an immediate impact — though not in the way he would have wanted. Just four minutes after kick-off, the Ecuador international was booked for a foul on Adrien Truffert. That early caution confirmed a suspension, meaning Caicedo will be unavailable for Chelsea’s next league match away at the Etihad Stadium against title contenders Manchester City.

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‎The absence of the midfielder is a significant setback for Enzo Maresca, with Caicedo having been a near ever-present figure for the Blues this season and a vital part of their midfield structure.

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‎Chelsea supporters vent frustration

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‎The booking and resulting ban did not sit well with Chelsea fans, many of whom took to social media to express their anger at the timing of the caution.

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‎One supporter, @theshedend2, posted on X: “Caicedo man are you stupid?”

‎Another fan, @Drayco196, wrote: “Caicedo had to have known he was on the brink of suspension. What a stupid yellow card to receive. Now he'll miss the city match. Stupid stupid stupid.”

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‎Maresca responds to disciplinary concerns

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‎Caicedo’s suspension adds to a growing list of disciplinary incidents for Chelsea this season. The Blues have already seen Joao Pedro, Trevoh Chalobah, Robert Sanchez, Moises Caicedo, Liam Delap and Malo Gusto all receive red cards, while Maresca himself has also served a touchline ban.

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‎Despite this record, Maresca has rejected the idea that Chelsea have a serious discipline problem, stressing his pride in the squad’s development.

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‎“Listen, the club this morning showed me a comment from some of you that said the team reflect the manager and I'm very proud of that,” Maresca said. “Because of the way the team is doing. The youngest squad in the Premier League. You also have to allow them some mistakes in terms of growing. I think, yes, we have yellow cards, yes, we had some red cards, but I like to analyse different situations. For sure, it's something we can do better.”

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‎Caicedo hailed among the world’s elite

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‎There is little debate over how damaging Caicedo’s absence could be. Earlier in the season, Maresca praised the midfielder as one of the best in the world in his position.

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‎Speaking in November, the Chelsea boss said: “Moi, I think he's showing how good he is. He's top, I said many times, the best thing from Moi for sure, we judge him inside the pitch, but he's so humble, he's so good guy, he's always there to help everyone. For me, him and [Manchester City's] Rodri, in this moment they are the two best defending midfielders in the world.”

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‎What lies ahead for Chelsea

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‎Maresca must now prepare for a difficult trip to Manchester City without one of his most influential players, marking a challenging start to 2026 for Chelsea. That fixture begins a demanding January schedule that also includes league matches against Fulham, Brentford, Crystal Palace and West Ham.

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‎In addition, Chelsea face Champions League encounters with Pafos and Napoli, a Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal, and an FA Cup third-round tie with Charlton, making Caicedo’s suspension even more keenly felt.