Chelsea's Manager Enzo Maresca Describes Pre-Match Time as His 'Worst Two Days' with the Club

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

The Italian made a rather mysterious comment in his post-match interview even after notching a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge through finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those crucial points sent Chelsea back into the Premier League's top four, potentially improving the atmosphere after a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's drought without a win to consecutive fixtures.

However, when asked about the full-back's assist and overall performance, Maresca surprisingly disclosed his frustration over the previous 48-hour period at the organization.

"The way the squad are eager to develop has been excellent and this is the reason why I praise them - because with a host of challenges, they are performing admirably after a complicated week," he commented.

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

Pressed on what he meant, the former Leicester City manager elaborated: "Worst 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 replied: "In general. Overall," before clarifying when queried if it was directed towards supporters or the media: "I love the fans and we are very content with the fans."

Injury & Suspension Woes

Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's ongoing fitness and disciplinary issues, noting they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for much of the campaign, as well as losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and striker Liam Delap to a couple of significant injuries.

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

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

"We play 5 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 like people outside to recognize because the commitment from the players is outstanding."

Chelsea's win over Everton cemented their standing in 4th place in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled next week.

Uncertainty Over Maresca's Remark

It was unclear what exactly caused Maresca to label the past 48 hours as the most difficult of his time as Chelsea head coach.

In that timeframe, the Italian had traveled back with his backroom team and players from his native Italy, conducted a training session at the training ground, attended a pre-game 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 unsettled him, if online comments played a role, or if it was something more significant from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an matter related to the club's supporters, a section of which have not yet fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester in July 2024.