The Manager Maresca Describes Lead-Up Time as The 'Worst 48 Hours' at the Club
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca stated that the preparation to the weekend's victory against Everton was "the most challenging 48 hours" he has experienced at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian delivered a puzzling statement in his after-game interview despite earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge courtesy of goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those crucial points lifted Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, potentially improving the atmosphere following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the side's drought without a win to consecutive fixtures.
However, when asked about the full-back's assist and overall performance, Maresca surprisingly divulged his displeasure over the previous 48-hour period at the club.
"The way the lads want to develop has been fantastic and this is the explanation why I applaud them - because with a host of challenges, they are doing very well after a tricky week," he said.
"From the moment I arrived at the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because a lot of people withheld support from us."
When pushed further on the specifics, the former Leicester City manager added: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people failed to back me and the team."
When questioned if he was referring to people within at Chelsea, he replied: "In general. In general," before specifying when asked if it was directed towards fans or the press: "I love the fans and we are extremely pleased with the fans."
Fitness & Disciplinary Crisis
Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's ongoing fitness and suspension issues, noting they had been missing star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, as well as losing 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 played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, 11 of them minus Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he said.
"And this squad, regardless of who is playing, they are doing brilliantly. Today was 5 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 best player.
"We play five games in the Premier League without 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 recognize because the commitment from the players is remarkable."
Chelsea's triumph over Everton cemented their standing in 4th place in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled next week.
Speculation Over Maresca's Comments
It was unclear who or what caused Maresca to label the previous 48 hours as the most difficult of his time as Chelsea manager.
In that timeframe, the Italian had traveled back with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a training session at the training ground, faced a pre-match news conference where he seemed relaxed, and secured a win over an high-flying Everton team.
It was hard to discern whether any particular media reports had irked 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 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 appointment from Leicester in July last year.
