Chelsea's Manager Maresca Describes Pre-Match Period as His 'Toughest 48 Hours' with the Club

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca remarked that the run-up to the weekend's triumph against Everton was "the toughest 48 hours" since his arrival with the London club.

The Italian offered a puzzling message in his post-match media briefing despite securing a 2-0 win at home courtesy of goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those points propelled Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, perhaps improving the mood after a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's winless run to four outings.

Yet, when asked about the full-back's assist and overall performance, Maresca unexpectedly disclosed his displeasure over the preceding 48-hour period at the organization.

"How the players are eager to develop has been fantastic and this is the explanation why I commend them - because with a host of issues, they are doing very well after a complicated week," he commented.

"From the moment I arrived at the club, the past 48 hours have been the worst because several people didn't support us."

Pressed on the specifics, the ex- Leicester City boss added: "Most difficult 48 hours since I came to the club because people failed to back me and the team."

When asked if he meant people within at Chelsea, he responded: "Broadly speaking. In general," before clarifying when asked if it was directed towards supporters or the press: "I love the fans and we are very pleased with the fans."

Injury and Suspension Woes

Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's persistent injury and disciplinary problems, remarking they had been missing key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, as well as losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and striker Liam Delap to two significant injuries.

"I truly 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, nearly every one of them minus Liam Delap," he explained.

"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are performing fantastic. Today was five games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer available, we have said many times that he's our best player but we play almost all season minus our top player.

"We play five games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the reason why I'm so happy for the players and it's something that I would want people externally to acknowledge because the work from the players is remarkable."

Chelsea's win over Everton cemented their standing in fourth in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup last-eight tie at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle to come in the coming days.

Uncertainty Over Maresca's Remark

It was ambiguous who or what prompted Maresca to label the previous 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea head coach.

In that window, the coach had returned with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, conducted a training session at Cobham, attended a pre-match press briefing where he appeared relaxed, and engineered a win over an in-form Everton team.

It was hard to discern whether any particular media reports had irked him, if social media discourse played a role, or if it was something more significant from within the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

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