The Boss Enzo Maresca Calls Lead-Up Period as His 'Toughest Two Days' with the Club
Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca stated that the preparation to Saturday's triumph against Everton constituted "the worst 48 hours" he has experienced with the London club.
The Italian made a somewhat cryptic statement in his post-match press conference even after earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge courtesy of goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those points lifted Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, perhaps improving the atmosphere following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's winless run to four matches.
But, when asked about the full-back's contribution and overall display, Maresca surprisingly disclosed his displeasure over the previous 48-hour period within the club.
"The way the squad are eager to learn has been superb and this is the explanation why I commend them - because with a host of challenges, they are performing admirably after a complicated week," he commented.
"From the moment I arrived at the club, the last 48 hours have been the most difficult because many people failed to back us."
When pushed further on what he meant, the former Leicester City manager continued: "Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people failed to back me and the team."
When asked if he was referring to people internally at Chelsea, he responded: "In general. In general," before clarifying when asked if it was directed towards supporters or the press: "I love the fans and we are extremely happy with the fans."
Fitness & Disciplinary Woes
Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's persistent injury and disciplinary issues, remarking they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for much of the season, as well as losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and striker Liam Delap to two significant injuries.
"I truly applaud the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them minus Moises Caicedo, eleven of them without Cole Palmer, almost all of them minus Liam Delap," he explained.
"And this squad, no matter who is on the pitch, they are performing fantastic. Today was five games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer available, we have said many times that he's our top player but we play almost all season without our best player.
"We play five games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the reason why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would want people outside to acknowledge because the effort from the players is outstanding."
Chelsea's win over Everton cemented their position in fourth in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup last-eight tie at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle to come next week.
Uncertainty Over Maresca's Comments
It was ambiguous what exactly caused Maresca to label the past 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea manager.
In that period, the Italian had traveled back with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, conducted a training session at Cobham, attended a pre-match news conference where he seemed at ease, and secured a win over an in-form Everton side.
It was not obvious whether any specific press stories had unsettled him, if social media discourse were a factor, or if it was something more significant from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca specifically took care to deny that it was an matter related to the club's fans, a section of which have not yet fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester in July 2024.
