Friday night’s Club World Cup showdown in Philadelphia was supposed to be a bounce-back moment for Chelsea.
Instead, it turned into a headache, and for Nicolas Jackson, it became a personal disaster.
Just four minutes after stepping onto the pitch, the 24-year-old striker was sent off—again.
It wasn’t just any red card either. Jackson was dismissed for a reckless challenge—his studs raking down the shin of Flamengo’s Ayrton Lucas.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, and the mistake left his teammates in an even tougher spot as Chelsea slipped to a 3-1 defeat.
A Costly Repeat Offense in Just 40 Days
Jackson is already serving a domestic suspension after his red card against Newcastle back in May.
This latest dismissal now marks his second sending off in just over a month—a worrying trend for a player Chelsea were relying on.
It’s not just the fans who are frustrated.
Jackson himself admitted as much in a raw and remorseful Instagram post after the match.
Jackson Owns Up on Instagram
After the game, Jackson didn’t shy away from the criticism. In fact, he leaned into it.
“I want to say sorry. To the club, the staff, my teammates, and all the fans watching, I let you down,” he wrote.
“Another red card and honestly, I’m so angry at myself.”
He went on to explain that the foul wasn’t intentional and that it was simply “a football moment that went the wrong way.”
But he made no excuses, vowing to reflect and return better.
“I’ll reflect, I’ll grow, and I’ll come back stronger for the badge and for everyone who believes in me. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.”
From Early Lead to Crushing Defeat
Things actually started well for Chelsea.
Pedro Neto netted his second goal of the tournament to give the Blues the lead.
But Flamengo responded swiftly with goals from Bruno Henrique and Danilo.
Jackson’s red card didn’t help the momentum, and Wallace Yan sealed the win for the Brazilian side.
The defeat means Chelsea now head into their final Group D clash against ES Tunis needing only a draw to advance—but without their striker.
Cucurella Defends His Teammate But Says Growth Is Needed
After the match, Marc Cucurella offered a more sympathetic take.
He called Jackson’s tackle “a bit of bad luck” and explained that it wasn’t malicious.
But the Spanish defender also admitted his teammate has some maturing to do.
“He is a young player with a lot of quality and maybe he needs to improve this.”
Cucurella also revealed Jackson apologized to the entire dressing room after the final whistle.
Mikel Lashes Out at the “Stupid” Challenge
Former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel didn’t hold back during his analysis on DAZN.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid mistake,” he said bluntly. “You come into the game, your team needs you, and you do that?”
He compared Jackson’s latest red to his costly sending off at Newcastle, calling it another poor decision in a big moment.
“You can’t keep making mistakes,” Mikel added.
Coach Maresca Keeps It Brief While Chelsea Look Ahead
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca declined to make a fuss over the red card.
“It was a red card, so nothing to say,” he said simply.
With Jackson suspended for the next match, attention now turns to Liam Delap.
The £32 million summer signing from Ipswich Town will likely get another shot at leading the line in Chelsea’s decisive match against ES Tunis.
Delap started against Flamengo but was replaced by Jackson in the second half—just before the disastrous foul.
Redemption Still Possible, But Without Jackson
Chelsea’s hopes of making it through the group stage are still alive.
A draw in their next game is enough to move on to the Round of 16.
But they’ll have to do it without Jackson, who now faces more than just suspension—he faces the pressure of regaining trust.