Chelsea's Boss Enzo Maresca Calls Pre-Match Period as His 'Most Difficult Two Days' with the Blues

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca remarked that the build-up to Saturday's victory against Everton constituted "the most challenging 48 hours" he has experienced with the London club.

The 44-year-old offered a puzzling statement in his after-game media briefing even after securing a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge through finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those three precious points sent Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, potentially improving the mood after a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's drought without a win to consecutive outings.

However, when questioned about the full-back's contribution and general performance, Maresca surprisingly divulged his frustration over the preceding 48-hour period at the organization.

"The way the lads want to develop has been superb and this is the reason why I applaud them - because with so many issues, they are performing admirably after a difficult week," he said.

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

Pressed on what he meant, the former Leicester City boss added: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team."

When asked if he meant people within at Chelsea, he responded: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before specifying when queried if it was aimed at fans 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, remarking they had been without star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the season, as well as being deprived of linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries.

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

"And this squad, regardless of 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 said many times that he's our best player but we play almost all season minus our top player.

"We play 5 games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would want people outside to appreciate because the work from the players is fantastic."

Chelsea's win over Everton strengthened their standing in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup last-eight tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled in the coming days.

Uncertainty Regarding Maresca's Remark

It was not immediately clear who or what caused Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the worst of his spell as Chelsea manager.

In that window, the coach had traveled back with his staff and players from Bergamo, conducted a training session at Cobham, attended a pre-game press briefing where he seemed at ease, and secured a win over an in-form Everton team.

It was unclear whether any particular press stories had unsettled him, if online comments were a factor, or if it was something more significant from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

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