Chelsea's Boss Enzo Maresca Describes Pre-Match Time as His 'Most Difficult 48 Hours' at the Blues

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca remarked that the build-up to Saturday's win against Everton represented "the toughest 48 hours" he has experienced with the London club.

The 44-year-old delivered a rather mysterious message in his after-game media briefing even after earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge through finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those points lifted 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 stretched the team's drought without a win to four outings.

But, when questioned about Gusto's assist and general display, Maresca unexpectedly disclosed his annoyance over the previous 48-hour period within the club.

"The way the players want to improve has been superb and this is the explanation why I commend them - because with so many issues, they are doing very well after a difficult week," he commented.

"Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the most difficult because many people failed to back us."

When pushed further on his meaning, the ex- Leicester City boss elaborated: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people failed to back me and the team."

When asked if he was referring to people internally at Chelsea, he responded: "In general. Overall," before specifying when queried if it was aimed at fans or the media: "I love the fans and we are extremely content with the fans."

Injury and Suspension Woes

Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's ongoing injury and disciplinary issues, noting they had been missing key forward Cole Palmer for much of the season, in addition to losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and striker Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries.

"I really praise the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them minus Moises Caicedo, 11 of them minus Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he explained.

"And this squad, regardless of 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 best 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 want people externally to acknowledge because the commitment from the players is outstanding."

Chelsea's success over Everton cemented their position in 4th place in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle scheduled in the coming days.

Uncertainty Over Maresca's Comments

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

In that timeframe, the Italian had traveled back with his staff and players from Bergamo, conducted a training session at Cobham, attended a pre-match press briefing where he appeared relaxed, and secured a victory over an high-flying Everton team.

It was unclear whether any particular press stories had unsettled him, if online comments played a role, or if it was something more significant from within the club at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca only sought to deny that it was an matter related to the club's fans, a section of which have not yet fully warm to him since his arrival from Leicester in July 2024.