Chelsea's Manager Maresca Calls Lead-Up Period as His 'Worst Two Days' at the Club
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca revealed that the build-up to Saturday's triumph against Everton constituted "the most challenging 48 hours" since his arrival with the London club.
The 44-year-old offered a rather mysterious comment in his post-match press conference even after earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge courtesy of strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those points sent Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, perhaps improving the atmosphere following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the side's winless run to four fixtures.
Yet, when asked about Gusto's contribution and general performance, Maresca unexpectedly disclosed his frustration over the preceding two days at the organization.
"The way the lads are eager to develop has been fantastic and this is the explanation why I applaud them - because with a host of issues, they are excelling after a tricky week," he said.
"Since I joined the club, the past 48 hours have been the toughest because several people failed to back us."
When pushed further on the specifics, the former Leicester City boss added: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team."
When questioned if he was referring to people internally at Chelsea, he answered: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before clarifying when queried if it was aimed at supporters or the press: "I love the fans and we are extremely happy with the fans."
Injury & Suspension Crisis
Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's persistent injury and disciplinary problems, remarking they had been missing key forward Cole Palmer for much of the season, in addition to losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and forward 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 minus Moises Caicedo, eleven of them without Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them minus Liam Delap," he said.
"And this squad, regardless of who is on the pitch, they are doing fantastic. Today was five games in 12 days so undoubtedly when you see Cole Palmer available, 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 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 acknowledge because the work from the players is remarkable."
Chelsea's triumph over Everton cemented their position in 4th place in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup last-eight tie at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle to come in the coming days.
Uncertainty Over Maresca's Comments
It was unclear who or what prompted Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea manager.
In that timeframe, the coach had returned with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, held a session at Cobham, attended a pre-game news conference 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 deeper from within the club at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca only sought to deny that it was an issue related to the club's supporters, a section of which have not yet fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester during July 2024.
