Chelsea winger Noni Madueke has apologized for his derogatory remarks about Wolverhampton following a hat-trick in Chelsea's 6-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux Stadium on Sunday.
Madueke, who had previously posted a critical comment about Wolverhampton on social media, quickly deleted the post. The message, which was shared just hours before the match, read: "this place is shit." Madueke later explained that the post was made from the wrong Instagram account and apologized for the mistake. "Damn wrong Instagram account. You lot are too fast," he said.
The 22-year-old's post led to negative reactions from Wolverhampton fans, who booed him during the match. Madueke responded with a hat-trick, and after the game, he issued an apology: "I just want to apologise to everyone that I might have offended. It is just a human mistake, an accident. It wasn't meant to be out on my socials like that. I'm sure Wolverhampton is a nice town and I'm sorry."
Addressing the boos from the crowd, Madueke added, "In terms of the boos I expected it but it is part of the game. You have to be able to play under that sort of pressure."
Madueke's three goals were complemented by three assists from teammate Cole Palmer, who has been nicknamed 'cold' for his composed finishing, particularly from the penalty spot. Madueke noted their contrasting styles, saying, "It is unbelievable. He is cold and I am fire so it mixes well. He has the ability to always play a pass at the right time."
Madueke's hat-trick was instrumental in securing Chelsea's first Premier League win under new head coach Enzo Maresca, following their defeat to Manchester City in the season opener. Chelsea had also won against Servette in a UEFA Conference League play-off on Thursday, with Madueke scoring in that match as well.
Maresca, who led Leicester to promotion last season, praised Madueke’s performance but also pointed out a minor issue. "In the first 10 minutes he had two chances and overall he was very good. The only thing I didn't like from Noni is the free-kick he gave away before half-time and we can avoid that, especially against a team who are good from set-pieces," Maresca said. He also acknowledged areas for improvement, noting, "Absolutely there always things we can improve on. We can learn many things."
