Chelsea's Manager Enzo Maresca Labels Pre-Match Time as His 'Most Difficult 48 Hours' with the Club

Chelsea tactician Enzo Maresca revealed that the run-up to Saturday's victory against Everton represented "the worst 48 hours" since his arrival with the London club.

The Italian delivered a somewhat cryptic comment in his post-match interview despite earning a 2-0 win at home through finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those crucial points sent Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, potentially improving the atmosphere following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the side's winless run to consecutive fixtures.

Yet, when asked about the full-back's contribution and overall display, Maresca unexpectedly disclosed his frustration over the preceding 48-hour period at the club.

"The way the lads want to improve has been excellent and this is the reason why I applaud them - because with a host of problems, they are doing very well after a complicated week," he commented.

"Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the most difficult because several people withheld support from us."

Pressed on what he meant, the ex- Leicester City boss continued: "Worst 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 responded: "Broadly speaking. In general," before specifying when queried if it was directed towards supporters or the press: "I adore the fans and we are extremely happy with the fans."

Injury & Suspension Woes

Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's persistent injury and disciplinary problems, noting they had been missing star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the season, in addition to being deprived of linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and striker Liam Delap to two serious injuries.

"I really commend the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, eleven of them minus Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them minus Liam Delap," he said.

"And this squad, regardless of who is on the pitch, they are doing fantastic. Today was five games in 12 days so certainly when you see Cole Palmer available, we have 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 minus Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so delighted 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 win over Everton consolidated their position in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup last-eight clash at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle to come in the coming days.

Speculation Regarding Maresca's Remark

It was ambiguous what exactly prompted Maresca to describe the previous 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 his native Italy, 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 side.

It was hard to discern whether any particular media reports had irked him, if online comments played a role, or if it was something deeper from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca only sought to deny that it was an matter related to the club's supporters, some of whom have not yet fully embrace him since his appointment from Leicester in July 2024.