Chelsea's Boss Maresca Describes Pre-Match Period as The 'Most Difficult 48 Hours' with the Club
Chelsea tactician Enzo Maresca stated that the run-up to Saturday's victory against Everton represented "the worst 48 hours" he has experienced at Stamford Bridge.
The 44-year-old made a puzzling comment in his post-match interview despite notching a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge courtesy of finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those crucial points lifted Chelsea once again into the English top flight's top four, potentially lightening the mood following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the team's drought without a win to four fixtures.
Yet, when asked about the full-back's contribution and overall display, Maresca unexpectedly disclosed his frustration over the preceding two days within the club.
"The way the players want to learn has been fantastic and this is the reason why I commend them - because with a host of issues, they are performing admirably after a difficult week," he said.
"Since I joined the club, the previous 48 hours have been the toughest because several people didn't support us."
Pressed on the specifics, the ex- Leicester City manager added: "Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people failed to back me and the team."
When asked if he meant people internally at Chelsea, he answered: "Broadly speaking. In general," before specifying when queried if it was aimed at fans or the media: "I adore the fans and we are extremely happy with the fans."
Injury & Suspension Woes
Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's ongoing fitness and disciplinary problems, remarking they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for much of the season, in addition to losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and striker Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries.
"I really applaud the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, eleven of them without Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he said.
"And this squad, regardless of who is playing, they are performing exceptionally. Today was 5 games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer there, we said many times that he's our best player but we play the vast majority of the season without our best player.
"We play 5 games in the Premier League without Moises Caicedo. This is the reason why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would want people externally to acknowledge because the effort from the players is remarkable."
Chelsea's win over Everton strengthened their standing in 4th place in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup last-eight clash at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle to come next week.
Uncertainty Regarding Maresca's Comments
It was ambiguous who or what caused Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the worst of his time as Chelsea head coach.
In that timeframe, the coach had traveled back with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a training session at Cobham, faced a pre-match news conference where he seemed relaxed, and secured a win over an in-form Everton side.
It was unclear whether any specific media reports had unsettled him, if social media comments played a role, or if it was something deeper from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca specifically took care to deny that it was an issue related to the club's fans, some of whom have still have yet to fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester in July 2024.
