The Boss Enzo Maresca Describes Pre-Match Time as The 'Toughest Two Days' at the Blues
Chelsea tactician Enzo Maresca revealed that the run-up to Saturday's victory against Everton represented "the worst 48 hours" of his tenure with the London club.
The Italian delivered a puzzling message in his post-match interview despite securing a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those crucial points lifted Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, perhaps improving the mood following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the team's winless run to consecutive outings.
However, when asked about the full-back's contribution and general performance, Maresca unexpectedly shared his frustration over the previous 48-hour period within the organization.
"The way the squad are eager to learn has been excellent and this is the explanation why I commend them - because with a host of problems, they are excelling after a complicated week," he said.
"From the moment I arrived at the club, the previous 48 hours have been the toughest because many people withheld support from us."
Pressed on what he meant, the ex- Leicester City boss continued: "Worst 48 hours since I came to the club because people failed to back me and the team."
When questioned if he meant people internally at Chelsea, he replied: "In general. Overall," before clarifying when asked if it was directed towards fans or the media: "I adore the fans and we are extremely content with the fans."
Fitness and Disciplinary Woes
Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's ongoing injury and disciplinary issues, remarking they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, in addition to losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and forward Liam Delap to two significant injuries.
"I truly praise the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, eleven of them without Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them without Liam Delap," he explained.
"And this squad, no matter who is on the pitch, they are doing exceptionally. Today was five games in 12 days so certainly when you see Cole Palmer playing, we have said many times that he's our best player but we play almost all season minus our top player.
"We play 5 games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so delighted for the players and it's something that I would like people externally to appreciate because the commitment from the players is remarkable."
Chelsea's triumph over Everton consolidated their standing in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle scheduled in the coming days.
Uncertainty Regarding Maresca's Remark
It was unclear what exactly caused Maresca to label the past 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea head coach.
In that period, the coach had returned with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, held a session at Cobham, faced a pre-match news conference where he seemed relaxed, and engineered a win over an in-form Everton team.
It was unclear whether any specific press stories had unsettled him, if online comments played a role, or if it was something deeper from within the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an issue involving the club's supporters, some of whom have still have yet to fully embrace him since his appointment from Leicester during July 2024.
