The Boss Enzo Maresca Calls Lead-Up Time as The 'Worst 48 Hours' at the Blues
Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca revealed that the build-up to Saturday's victory against Everton represented "the most challenging 48 hours" he has experienced with the London club.
The 44-year-old made a somewhat cryptic comment in his after-game interview despite earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge through strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those points lifted Chelsea back into the Premier League's top four, potentially improving the atmosphere after a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's drought without a win to consecutive fixtures.
But, when asked about Gusto's assist and overall display, Maresca surprisingly disclosed his frustration over the previous 48-hour period at the organization.
"The way the squad are eager to learn has been superb and this is the explanation why I applaud them - because with a host of issues, they are excelling after a complicated week," he stated.
"From the moment I arrived at the club, the last 48 hours have been the most difficult because many people failed to back us."
Pressed on his meaning, 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 meant people internally at Chelsea, he answered: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before specifying when queried if it was directed towards fans or the media: "I adore the fans and we are very happy with the fans."
Injury and Disciplinary Crisis
Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's ongoing fitness and disciplinary issues, remarking they had been without star attacker Cole Palmer for much of the season, as well as being deprived of key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries.
"I really commend the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, 11 of them minus Cole Palmer, almost all 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 certainly when you see Cole Palmer available, we said many times that he's our best 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 reason why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would want people outside to acknowledge because the commitment from the players is outstanding."
Chelsea's triumph over Everton strengthened their position in 4th place in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup last-eight clash at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle to come in the coming days.
Speculation Regarding Maresca's Comments
It was unclear who or what prompted Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea manager.
In that window, the Italian had returned with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, conducted a session at the training ground, attended a pre-match news conference where he appeared relaxed, and secured a victory over an high-flying Everton team.
It was not obvious whether any particular media reports had irked him, if online comments played a role, or if it was something more significant from within the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca only sought to deny that it was an issue related to the club's fans, some of whom have not yet fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester in July last year.
