The Manager Maresca Labels Pre-Match Period as The 'Toughest 48 Hours' at the Club
Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca remarked that the preparation to the weekend's win against Everton constituted "the toughest 48 hours" of his tenure at Stamford Bridge.
The 44-year-old delivered a rather mysterious comment in his post-match press conference even after notching a 2-0 win at home courtesy of finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those three precious points lifted Chelsea once again into the English top flight's top four, potentially lightening the atmosphere after a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the team's winless run to consecutive fixtures.
Yet, when asked about Gusto's contribution and overall display, Maresca surprisingly divulged his frustration over the previous two days within the organization.
"The way the squad want to learn has been fantastic and this is the reason why I applaud them - because with a host of issues, they are excelling after a tricky week," he said.
"From the moment I arrived at the club, the last 48 hours have been the toughest because many people didn't support us."
Pressed on what he meant, the ex- Leicester City manager continued: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people failed to back me and the team."
When questioned if he was referring to people internally at Chelsea, he replied: "Broadly speaking. In general," before clarifying when queried if it was directed towards supporters or the media: "I love the fans and we are extremely happy with the fans."
Injury and Suspension Crisis
Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's persistent injury and disciplinary problems, noting they had been missing star attacker Cole Palmer for much of the campaign, as well as losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of significant injuries.
"I really praise the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them minus Moises Caicedo, eleven of them minus Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them minus Liam Delap," he explained.
"And this squad, regardless of who is on the pitch, they are performing brilliantly. 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 delighted for the players and it's something that I would like people outside to appreciate because the effort from the players is fantastic."
Chelsea's success over Everton cemented their position in fourth in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle to come in the coming days.
Speculation Regarding Maresca's Comments
It was unclear who or what caused Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea manager.
In that window, the Italian had returned with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, held a session at Cobham, faced a pre-game press briefing where he seemed relaxed, and secured a win over an high-flying Everton team.
It was unclear whether any specific media reports had unsettled him, if online comments were a factor, or if it was something deeper from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca only sought to deny that it was an matter involving the club's supporters, a section of which have not yet fully embrace him since his appointment from Leicester during July 2024.
