The Manager Maresca Calls Lead-Up Period as His 'Toughest 48 Hours' at the Club
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca revealed that the run-up to Saturday's win against Everton constituted "the most challenging 48 hours" of his tenure with the London club.
The Italian offered a rather mysterious comment in his after-game media briefing even after earning a 2-0 win at home courtesy of strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those three precious points sent Chelsea back into the Premier League's top four, potentially lightening the atmosphere following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's winless run to consecutive outings.
But, when asked about the full-back's assist and general performance, Maresca unexpectedly disclosed his displeasure over the previous two days at the organization.
"How the squad want to develop has been excellent and this is the explanation why I commend them - because with a host of problems, they are doing very well after a complicated 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 the specifics, the former Leicester City boss added: "Worst 48 hours since I came to the club because people failed to back me and the team."
When questioned if he meant people within at Chelsea, he responded: "Broadly speaking. In general," before clarifying when queried if it was aimed at fans or the press: "I adore the fans and we are extremely content with the fans."
Injury and Suspension Woes
Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's persistent 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 striker Liam Delap to a couple of significant injuries.
"I really commend the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, 11 of them without Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them minus Liam Delap," he said.
"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are doing exceptionally. Today was five games in 12 days so certainly when you see Cole Palmer there, we have said many times that he's our finest 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 happy for the players and it's something that I would want people outside to appreciate because the commitment from the players is outstanding."
Chelsea's win over Everton cemented their standing in 4th place in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled next week.
Uncertainty Regarding Maresca's Comments
It was unclear who or what prompted Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the worst of his spell as Chelsea head coach.
In that period, the Italian had returned with his staff and players from Bergamo, conducted a training session at Cobham, faced a pre-match press briefing where he seemed relaxed, and engineered a win over an in-form Everton side.
It was hard to discern whether any particular media reports had unsettled him, if social media comments played a role, or if it was something more significant from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca specifically took care to rule out that it was an matter related to the club's fans, a section of which have not yet fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester in July 2024.
