Chelsea's Boss Enzo Maresca Calls Pre-Match Period as The 'Toughest 48 Hours' with the Club

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca revealed that the preparation to the weekend's triumph against Everton was "the most challenging 48 hours" he has experienced at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian made a rather mysterious statement in his post-match press conference despite securing a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those crucial points sent Chelsea once again into the English top flight's top four, perhaps improving the atmosphere following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's winless run to four fixtures.

Yet, when asked about Gusto's assist and general performance, Maresca unexpectedly disclosed his frustration over the preceding 48-hour period at the club.

"How the players want to learn has been excellent and this is the explanation why I commend them - because with so many problems, they are doing very well after a difficult 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 his meaning, the former Leicester City manager added: "Worst 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 responded: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before clarifying when asked if it was aimed at fans or the media: "I love the fans and we are extremely happy with the fans."

Injury and Disciplinary Woes

Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's ongoing injury and suspension issues, noting they had been missing star attacker Cole Palmer for much of the season, in addition to being deprived of key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and striker Liam Delap to two significant injuries.

"I truly praise the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, 11 of them without Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them minus Liam Delap," he said.

"And this squad, regardless of who is on the pitch, they are performing exceptionally. Today was 5 games in 12 days so certainly when you see Cole Palmer there, we said many times that he's our finest 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 explanation why I'm so delighted for the players and it's something that I would like people outside to recognize because the commitment from the players is outstanding."

Chelsea's success over Everton cemented their position in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled next week.

Speculation Over Maresca's Comments

It was unclear what exactly prompted Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the most difficult of his tenure as Chelsea head coach.

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

It was unclear whether any particular media reports had unsettled him, if social media comments were a factor, or if it was something deeper from within the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca specifically took care to rule out that it was an issue related to the club's fans, a section of which have still have yet to fully embrace him since his appointment from Leicester during July 2024.