Chelsea's Manager Enzo Maresca Calls Lead-Up Period as His 'Most Difficult 48 Hours' with the Blues
Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca revealed that the build-up to Saturday's victory against Everton constituted "the most challenging 48 hours" since his arrival at Stamford Bridge.
The 44-year-old delivered a rather mysterious comment in his after-game press conference even after earning a 2-0 win at home through strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those crucial points propelled Chelsea back into the Premier League's top four, potentially lightening the atmosphere following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's winless run to consecutive matches.
Yet, when asked about the full-back's contribution and general display, Maresca surprisingly shared his displeasure over the previous 48-hour period at the club.
"How the squad are eager to develop has been fantastic and this is the explanation why I praise them - because with numerous problems, they are excelling after a tricky week," he said.
"From the moment I arrived at the club, the past 48 hours have been the worst because many people didn't support us."
When pushed further on his meaning, the former Leicester City manager added: "Most difficult 48 hours since I came to the club because people didn't support me and the team."
When questioned if he was referring to people within at Chelsea, he replied: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before clarifying when queried if it was directed towards fans or the media: "I adore the fans and we are extremely content with the fans."
Injury & Disciplinary Crisis
Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's ongoing fitness and suspension problems, noting they had been missing key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the season, as well as losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and striker Liam Delap to two serious injuries.
"I really commend the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, five of them without Moises Caicedo, 11 of them without Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he said.
"And this squad, regardless of who is on the pitch, they are doing fantastic. Today was 5 games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer available, we said many times that he's our best player but we play almost all season without our best player.
"We play 5 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 externally to recognize because the work from the players is remarkable."
Chelsea's win over Everton cemented their position in 4th place in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle scheduled next week.
Uncertainty Over Maresca's Comments
It was unclear what exactly prompted Maresca to label the previous 48 hours as the most difficult of his spell as Chelsea manager.
In that timeframe, the coach had returned with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, conducted a session at Cobham, attended a pre-game press briefing where he seemed at ease, and engineered a win over an in-form Everton team.
It was unclear whether any particular press stories had irked him, if social media comments played a role, or if it was something deeper from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca only sought to deny that it was an issue involving the club's supporters, some of whom have still have yet to fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester in July 2024.
