Chelsea's Manager Enzo Maresca Describes Pre-Match Period as His 'Worst 48 Hours' with the Blues

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca stated that the preparation to the weekend's win against Everton constituted "the worst 48 hours" he has experienced with the London club.

The 44-year-old offered a somewhat cryptic message in his after-game media briefing even after earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge courtesy of finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those points propelled 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 extended the side's drought without a win to consecutive matches.

However, when questioned about Gusto's contribution and overall performance, Maresca surprisingly divulged his annoyance over the previous 48-hour period within the organization.

"How the lads want to learn has been excellent and this is the reason why I commend them - because with numerous issues, they are performing admirably after a tricky week," he stated.

"Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because several people didn't support us."

When pushed further on the specifics, the ex- Leicester City boss 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 internally at Chelsea, he replied: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before clarifying when asked if it was directed towards fans or the press: "I adore the fans and we are extremely happy with the fans."

Injury & Suspension Crisis

Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's ongoing injury and disciplinary issues, noting they had been missing star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, as well as losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and striker Liam Delap to two serious injuries.

"I really applaud the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, eleven of them minus Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he said.

"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are performing brilliantly. Today was 5 games in 12 days so undoubtedly when you see Cole Palmer there, we have said many times that he's our best player but we play the vast majority of the season without our best player.

"We play 5 games in the Premier League without Moises Caicedo. This is the reason why I'm so delighted for the players and it's something that I would want people outside to recognize because the commitment from the players is outstanding."

Chelsea's triumph over Everton strengthened their standing in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup last-eight clash at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled next week.

Uncertainty Regarding Maresca's Remark

It was not immediately clear what exactly prompted Maresca to label the past 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea head coach.

In that timeframe, the coach had traveled back with his staff and players from his native Italy, held a training session at Cobham, attended a pre-match press briefing where he seemed relaxed, and secured a victory over an in-form Everton side.

It was not obvious whether any specific press stories had unsettled him, if social media discourse played a role, or if it was something more significant from within the club at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an matter involving the club's fans, a section of which have still have yet to fully warm to him since his arrival from Leicester during July 2024.