🔗 Share this article Chelsea's Boss Enzo Maresca Labels Pre-Match Period as His 'Worst Two Days' at the Blues Enzo Maresca joined Chelsea after leaving Leicester in July of last year. Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca remarked that the run-up to the weekend's win against Everton represented "the toughest 48 hours" of his tenure with the London club. The 44-year-old made a puzzling comment in his post-match media briefing even after securing a 2-0 win at home thanks to strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto. Those crucial points sent Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, potentially lightening the mood following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's winless run to consecutive matches. However, when questioned about Gusto's assist and overall display, Maresca surprisingly divulged his displeasure over the preceding two days within the organization. "The way the players are eager to learn has been excellent and this is the explanation why I praise them - because with so many issues, they are performing admirably after a complicated week," he stated. "From the moment I arrived at the club, the past 48 hours have been the toughest because a lot of people withheld support from us." When pushed further on his meaning, the former Leicester City manager elaborated: "Worst 48 hours since I came to the club because people didn't support me and the team." When questioned if he was referring to people within at Chelsea, he replied: "Broadly speaking. In general," before specifying when queried if it was aimed at fans or the press: "I love the fans and we are very content with the fans." Fitness & Suspension Woes Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's ongoing fitness and suspension problems, remarking they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the season, in addition to being deprived of linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries. "I really commend the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, 11 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 doing brilliantly. Today was 5 games in 12 days so certainly 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 5 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 like people externally to recognize because the work from the players is outstanding." Chelsea's win over Everton cemented their standing in 4th place in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle to come in the coming days. Uncertainty Over Maresca's Remark It was unclear what exactly caused Maresca to describe the past 48 hours as the most difficult of his tenure as Chelsea head coach. In that timeframe, the Italian had returned with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a session at the training ground, attended a pre-game press briefing where he seemed at ease, and engineered a victory over an in-form Everton team. It was hard to discern whether any specific media reports had unsettled him, if social media comments were a factor, or if it was something more significant from inside the club at Stamford Bridge. Maresca specifically took care to rule out that it was an issue involving the club's supporters, a section of which have still have yet to fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester during July last year.
Enzo Maresca joined Chelsea after leaving Leicester in July of last year. Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca remarked that the run-up to the weekend's win against Everton represented "the toughest 48 hours" of his tenure with the London club. The 44-year-old made a puzzling comment in his post-match media briefing even after securing a 2-0 win at home thanks to strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto. Those crucial points sent Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, potentially lightening the mood following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's winless run to consecutive matches. However, when questioned about Gusto's assist and overall display, Maresca surprisingly divulged his displeasure over the preceding two days within the organization. "The way the players are eager to learn has been excellent and this is the explanation why I praise them - because with so many issues, they are performing admirably after a complicated week," he stated. "From the moment I arrived at the club, the past 48 hours have been the toughest because a lot of people withheld support from us." When pushed further on his meaning, the former Leicester City manager elaborated: "Worst 48 hours since I came to the club because people didn't support me and the team." When questioned if he was referring to people within at Chelsea, he replied: "Broadly speaking. In general," before specifying when queried if it was aimed at fans or the press: "I love the fans and we are very content with the fans." Fitness & Suspension Woes Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's ongoing fitness and suspension problems, remarking they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the season, in addition to being deprived of linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries. "I really commend the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, 11 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 doing brilliantly. Today was 5 games in 12 days so certainly 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 5 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 like people externally to recognize because the work from the players is outstanding." Chelsea's win over Everton cemented their standing in 4th place in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle to come in the coming days. Uncertainty Over Maresca's Remark It was unclear what exactly caused Maresca to describe the past 48 hours as the most difficult of his tenure as Chelsea head coach. In that timeframe, the Italian had returned with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a session at the training ground, attended a pre-game press briefing where he seemed at ease, and engineered a victory over an in-form Everton team. It was hard to discern whether any specific media reports had unsettled him, if social media comments were a factor, or if it was something more significant from inside the club at Stamford Bridge. Maresca specifically took care to rule out that it was an issue involving the club's supporters, a section of which have still have yet to fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester during July last year.