The Boss Enzo Maresca Calls Pre-Match Period as His 'Worst 48 Hours' at the Club
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca revealed that the preparation to Saturday's win against Everton represented "the toughest 48 hours" since his arrival at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian made a somewhat cryptic statement in his post-match interview even after notching a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those crucial points sent Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, perhaps improving the atmosphere after a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's drought without a win to four matches.
Yet, when asked about the full-back's assist and overall display, Maresca surprisingly shared his displeasure over the preceding 48-hour period within the club.
"The way the squad are eager to improve has been excellent and this is the explanation why I commend them - because with numerous challenges, they are performing admirably after a difficult week," he stated.
"From the moment I arrived at the club, the previous 48 hours have been the most difficult because several people failed to back us."
When pushed further on the specifics, the ex- Leicester City boss added: "Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people failed to back me and the team."
When questioned if he meant people internally at Chelsea, he responded: "Broadly speaking. In general," before clarifying when asked if it was aimed at supporters or the media: "I adore the fans and we are extremely content with the fans."
Injury and Disciplinary Woes
Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's ongoing injury and suspension issues, noting they had been missing key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, as well as being deprived of key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries.
"I truly praise the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, eleven of them without Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them without Liam Delap," he explained.
"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are doing brilliantly. Today was 5 games in 12 days so undoubtedly when you see Cole Palmer playing, we have said many times that he's our finest player but we play almost all season without our best 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 acknowledge because the work from the players is remarkable."
Chelsea's win over Everton consolidated their standing in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle to come next week.
Uncertainty Regarding Maresca's Comments
It was unclear who or what caused Maresca to describe the past 48 hours as the most difficult of his time as Chelsea head coach.
In that timeframe, the coach had traveled back with his staff and players from Bergamo, held a training session at Cobham, faced a pre-match news conference where he appeared relaxed, and secured a win over an in-form Everton team.
It was unclear whether any specific media reports had unsettled him, if online 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 issue related to the club's supporters, a section of which have not yet fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester in July last year.
