The Manager Maresca Calls Lead-Up Period as His 'Toughest 48 Hours' with the Club
Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca stated that the run-up to Saturday's triumph against Everton constituted "the worst 48 hours" he has experienced with the London club.
The 44-year-old delivered a somewhat cryptic message in his post-match interview despite securing a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge through strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those crucial points propelled Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, perhaps improving the atmosphere following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's winless run to four outings.
But, when asked about Gusto's assist and general performance, Maresca surprisingly shared his displeasure over the previous two days at the club.
"The way the lads are eager to develop has been superb and this is the explanation why I praise them - because with so many challenges, they are doing very well 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."
Pressed on what he meant, the former Leicester City boss added: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people failed to back me and the team."
When questioned if he meant people within at Chelsea, he responded: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before clarifying when queried if it was aimed at fans or the press: "I love the fans and we are very content with the fans."
Injury & Disciplinary Crisis
Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's ongoing fitness and suspension issues, noting they had been without star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, as well as losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and striker Liam Delap to two serious injuries.
"I truly praise the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, eleven of them minus Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them without Liam Delap," he said.
"And this squad, regardless of who is playing, they are performing exceptionally. Today was 5 games in 12 days so undoubtedly when you see Cole Palmer available, we have said many times that he's our finest player but we play the vast majority of the season without our top player.
"We play five games in the Premier League without Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so happy for the players and it's something that I would like people outside to appreciate because the commitment from the players is outstanding."
Chelsea's success over Everton consolidated their position in fourth in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle scheduled next week.
Uncertainty Regarding Maresca's Comments
It was ambiguous who or what caused Maresca to label the past 48 hours as the worst of his spell as Chelsea manager.
In that window, the Italian had traveled back with his staff and players from Bergamo, conducted a training session at Cobham, faced a pre-game press briefing where he seemed relaxed, and secured a victory over an in-form Everton side.
It was hard to discern whether any specific press stories had irked him, if online comments were a factor, or if it was something deeper from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an matter involving the club's supporters, some of whom have not yet fully warm to him since his arrival from Leicester during July 2024.
