The Manager Enzo Maresca Describes Pre-Match Time as His 'Toughest 48 Hours' with the Club

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca stated that the preparation to Saturday's triumph against Everton represented "the worst 48 hours" since his arrival with the London club.

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

Those crucial points sent Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, potentially lightening the mood after a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the side's winless run to four fixtures.

Yet, when questioned about Gusto's assist and overall display, Maresca unexpectedly disclosed his frustration over the preceding 48-hour period at the organization.

"How the players want to develop has been superb and this is the reason why I praise them - because with so many problems, they are performing admirably after a difficult week," he stated.

"Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because many people didn't support us."

Pressed on the specifics, the former Leicester City manager added: "Worst 48 hours since I came to the club because people didn't support me and the team."

When asked if he meant people internally at Chelsea, he answered: "In general. Overall," before clarifying when asked if it was aimed at supporters or the press: "I adore the fans and we are very happy with the fans."

Injury & Suspension Woes

Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's persistent injury and suspension problems, noting they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for much of the season, in addition to being deprived of linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and striker Liam Delap to two significant injuries.

"I truly praise the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, eleven of them without Cole Palmer, almost all of them minus Liam Delap," he said.

"And this squad, no matter who is on the pitch, they are performing exceptionally. 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 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 reason why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would want people externally to acknowledge because the effort from the players is remarkable."

Chelsea's win over Everton cemented their standing in 4th place in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup last-eight clash at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled in the coming days.

Speculation Regarding Maresca's Comments

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

In that period, the Italian had returned with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, held a training session at the training ground, attended a pre-game news conference where he seemed at ease, and engineered a victory over an high-flying Everton team.

It was hard to discern whether any specific press stories had irked him, if online comments played a role, or if it was something deeper from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca specifically took care to deny that it was an matter related to the club's fans, some of whom have still have yet to fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester during July 2024.