The Brazilian was introduced just past the hour mark and received a yellow card within a minute of entering the pitch, after catching Enzo Barrenechea from behind in his attempt to win a header.
Pedro was then shown his marching orders in stoppage time for a high boot that was enough to receive a second yellow, despite not making contact with Leandro Barreiro.
Joe Cole and Owen Hargreaves had their say on the incident, and both believe the Brazilian showed some naivety.
“I think it’s harsh, but if you look at the referee’s position, he’s jumped up, there’s arms flailing, he’s hit him on the shoulder,” said Cole on TNT Sports regarding the first booking.
However, the former Blue was less forgiving of the second infringement from the striker, which ultimately saw him dismissed.
“Believe it or not, you do have a split second there to pull your leg,” he said. “He just had a moment where he was rash. With young players, it’s going to happen. You have to do that in your career to know (what not to do next time).
“You have to touch the fire to know you’ll get burned. Hopefully he learns from that, but he was unlucky with the first one.”
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Maresca jokes that Chelsea are ‘improving’ as they can now win ‘with 10 players’
Video credit: TNT Sports
Hargreaves echoed Cole’s sentiments and touched on the wider problem facing Enzo Maresca, after three red cards in The Blues’ last four matches.
“He wants to bring it (the ball) down. Sometimes at that moment, if you know you’ve already got a yellow, you can’t be doing that.
“That ball’s just gone, but for the manager, that’s three (red cards) in four games. They did well to come away with three points, but he’s irreplaceable in this Chelsea team and they need him out there.”
Maresca made a tongue-in-cheek comment after being quizzed about the sending off in his post-match interview, and says there is enough depth in the forward ranks to cope without Pedro’s absence against Ajax at Stamford Bridge on October 22.
“The good thing is we are improving, and can now win with 10 players! I think for the second yellow card, he didn’t touch (the player), but the dynamic of the foul means it’s a dangerous one, and they give him a red card.”
When asked about the depth within the squad, Maresca continued: “We have Guiu (Marc), we have Tyrique (George).
“We know they are very young, but we trust them, they can have a good chance in that game.”
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Mourinho: We deserved more
Video credit: TNT Sports
‘We did enough’ – Mourinho laments three dropped points
It was an ultimately unhappy return for former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge after overseeing a 1-0 defeat in west London.
Benfica acquitted themselves well for long periods of the match, but succumbed to a second defeat in their opening two Champions League matches.
“I don’t think the problem is this defeat,” Mourinho said on TNT Sports.
“It’s the one against Qarabag (lost 3-2) because today, even with this defeat, we should have three points. We need them from somewhere. Today we did enough to get one point, but it was not possible.
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Highlights: Qarabag come from behind to rock Benfica
Video credit: TNT Sports
“This team is building confidence and can lose balance or control after conceding here.
“You can think tactically we are not well, and we are going to change, and then destroy everything.
“They kept stable, played their game, we tried, it’s not enough, but as a coach that arrived 10 days ago, it’s a positive feeling.”
Benfica’s next Champions League comes away at Newcastle United on October 21, but first they have the small matter of a clash away against old rivals – and Mourinho’s former club – FC Porto this weekend.
