The Manager Maresca Calls Pre-Match Period as His 'Worst 48 Hours' with the Blues
Chelsea tactician Enzo Maresca remarked that the run-up to Saturday's win against Everton represented "the toughest 48 hours" since his arrival at Stamford Bridge.
The 44-year-old made a rather mysterious statement in his after-game media briefing despite earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge courtesy of strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those three precious points lifted Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, potentially improving the mood following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's drought without a win to consecutive fixtures.
Yet, when questioned about Gusto's assist and general display, Maresca surprisingly divulged his annoyance over the preceding 48-hour period at the club.
"How the players want to improve has been fantastic and this is the reason why I applaud them - because with numerous issues, they are performing admirably after a difficult week," he said.
"Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the toughest because many people didn't support us."
Pressed on the specifics, the ex- Leicester City boss continued: "Most difficult 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 responded: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before specifying when asked if it was aimed at supporters or the media: "I love the fans and we are very happy with the fans."
Fitness and Suspension Woes
Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's ongoing injury and disciplinary problems, remarking they had been missing star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, in addition to losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of significant injuries.
"I truly applaud the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, eleven of them minus Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he explained.
"And this squad, regardless of who is playing, they are performing fantastic. Today was 5 games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer there, we have said many times that he's our top player but we play the vast majority of the season minus our best player.
"We play 5 games in the Premier League without Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would like people outside to acknowledge because the effort from the players is outstanding."
Chelsea's win over Everton consolidated their standing in 4th place in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled in the coming days.
Uncertainty Over Maresca's Remark
It was unclear who or what caused Maresca to describe the past 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea manager.
In that timeframe, the coach had traveled back with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a training session at Cobham, faced a pre-match press briefing where he appeared relaxed, and secured a victory over an in-form Everton team.
It was not obvious whether any specific media reports had unsettled him, if online comments played a role, or if it was something deeper from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca specifically took care to deny that it was an matter involving the club's supporters, some of whom have not yet fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester during July 2024.
