The Manager Maresca Describes Pre-Match Period as His 'Toughest 48 Hours' at the Blues

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca revealed that the run-up to Saturday's victory against Everton was "the toughest 48 hours" since his arrival at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian offered a somewhat cryptic statement in his post-match media briefing despite earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge through goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those three precious points propelled Chelsea back into the Premier League's top four, perhaps lightening the mood after a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the team's winless run to four fixtures.

But, when asked about Gusto's assist and general display, Maresca unexpectedly disclosed his annoyance over the preceding 48-hour period at the organization.

"How the lads are eager to learn has been superb and this is the explanation why I applaud them - because with so many 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 many people withheld support from us."

Pressed on his meaning, the ex- Leicester City boss continued: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team."

When asked if he was referring to people internally at Chelsea, he replied: "Broadly speaking. In general," before specifying when queried if it was aimed at fans or the media: "I adore the fans and we are very pleased with the fans."

Fitness and Suspension Woes

Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's ongoing injury and disciplinary issues, remarking they had been missing star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, in addition to losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to two significant injuries.

"I truly applaud the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, five of them without Moises Caicedo, 11 of them without Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he explained.

"And this squad, no matter who is on the pitch, they are doing exceptionally. Today was 5 games in 12 days so undoubtedly when you see Cole Palmer playing, we said many times that he's our top player but we play almost all season without our top player.

"We play five games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so delighted for the players and it's something that I would like people externally to acknowledge because the commitment from the players is outstanding."

Chelsea's win 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 trip to Newcastle to come in the coming days.

Speculation Over Maresca's Comments

It was not immediately clear what exactly prompted Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the most difficult of his time as Chelsea manager.

In that period, the Italian had traveled back with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a session at the training ground, faced a pre-game press briefing where he seemed at ease, and engineered a win over an in-form Everton team.

It was unclear whether any particular press stories had unsettled him, if online discourse played a role, or if it was something deeper from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an matter related to the club's fans, some of whom have still have yet to fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester in July 2024.