Chelsea's Boss Enzo Maresca Calls Pre-Match Period as His 'Worst Two Days' at the Club

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca stated that the build-up to Saturday's triumph against Everton constituted "the most challenging 48 hours" since his arrival at Stamford Bridge.

The 44-year-old offered a somewhat cryptic statement in his post-match press conference even after notching a 2-0 win at home through finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those crucial points sent Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, perhaps lightening the atmosphere after a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's drought without a win to four fixtures.

However, when asked about Gusto's assist and general display, Maresca unexpectedly divulged his frustration over the preceding 48-hour period within the organization.

"The way the lads want to learn has been superb and this is the reason why I praise them - because with a host of issues, they are excelling after a difficult week," he commented.

"From the moment I arrived at the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because many people didn't support us."

When pushed further on what he meant, the ex- Leicester City manager continued: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team."

When asked if he meant people internally at Chelsea, he replied: "In general. In general," before specifying when asked if it was directed towards supporters or the press: "I love the fans and we are extremely content with the fans."

Fitness & Suspension Woes

Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's persistent fitness and disciplinary problems, remarking they had been missing key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the season, as well as being deprived of key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries.

"I really applaud the players and the squad because we 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 explained.

"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are doing brilliantly. Today was 5 games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer available, we said many times that he's our finest 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 work from the players is remarkable."

Chelsea's win over Everton strengthened their standing in fourth in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup last-eight tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle to come next week.

Uncertainty Regarding Maresca's Remark

It was unclear who or what prompted Maresca to label the past 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea manager.

In that timeframe, the Italian had returned with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a session at Cobham, attended a pre-game news conference where he appeared at ease, and engineered a win over an high-flying Everton team.

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

Maresca only sought to deny that it was an issue related to the club's fans, a section of which have still have yet to fully warm to him since his arrival from Leicester during July 2024.