Chelsea's Manager Enzo Maresca Describes Pre-Match Period as His 'Worst 48 Hours' with the Club
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca remarked that the run-up to the weekend's win against Everton represented "the most challenging 48 hours" he has experienced at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian made a rather mysterious statement in his post-match interview despite notching a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge courtesy of goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those points propelled Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, perhaps lightening the atmosphere after a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's drought without a win to consecutive matches.
Yet, when questioned about the full-back's contribution and general performance, Maresca unexpectedly disclosed his frustration over the preceding two days at the club.
"The way the players want to learn has been superb and this is the reason why I commend them - because with a host of issues, they are performing admirably after a tricky week," he commented.
"From the moment I arrived at 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 boss continued: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team."
When asked if he was referring to people internally at Chelsea, he responded: "In general. In general," before specifying when asked if it was aimed at fans or the media: "I love the fans and we are extremely pleased with the fans."
Injury & Suspension Woes
Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's persistent injury and suspension issues, noting they had been missing star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the season, in addition to losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and striker Liam Delap to two serious injuries.
"I really applaud the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, 11 of them without Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them without Liam Delap," he said.
"And this squad, regardless of who is playing, they are doing exceptionally. Today was 5 games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer playing, we said many times that he's our best player but we play the vast majority of the season without our top player.
"We play five 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 like people externally to appreciate because the work from the players is remarkable."
Chelsea's win over Everton strengthened their standing in 4th place in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup last-eight clash at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle to come next week.
Speculation Over Maresca's Remark
It was unclear who or what caused Maresca to label the past 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea head coach.
In that window, the Italian had returned with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a session at Cobham, faced a pre-game press briefing where he seemed at ease, and secured a win over an in-form Everton team.
It was unclear whether any particular media reports had unsettled him, if social media discourse played a role, or if it was something more significant from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an matter related to the club's fans, some of whom have not yet fully embrace him since his appointment from Leicester during July 2024.
