Chelsea's Boss Maresca Calls Lead-Up Time as His 'Most Difficult Two Days' with the Blues

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

The 44-year-old delivered a somewhat cryptic message in his post-match interview even after securing a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those crucial points sent Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, potentially improving the atmosphere following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the side's drought without a win to consecutive outings.

Yet, when asked about the full-back's contribution and overall performance, Maresca unexpectedly shared his displeasure over the preceding two days within the club.

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

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

When pushed further on what he meant, the former Leicester City boss elaborated: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people failed to back me and the team."

When questioned if he meant people within at Chelsea, he replied: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before clarifying when asked if it was directed towards fans or the press: "I adore the fans and we are very content with the fans."

Injury & Suspension Woes

Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's persistent fitness and disciplinary problems, noting 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-game ban and striker Liam Delap to a couple of significant injuries.

"I truly commend the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, 11 of them without Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he said.

"And this squad, regardless of who is on the pitch, they are doing exceptionally. Today was five games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer there, we have said many times that he's our best player but we play the vast majority of the season minus our top 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 outside to acknowledge because the commitment from the players is outstanding."

Chelsea's success over Everton consolidated their standing in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled in the coming days.

Speculation Regarding Maresca's Remark

It was unclear who or what caused Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the worst of his spell as Chelsea manager.

In that period, the Italian had returned with his staff and players from Bergamo, conducted a session at the training ground, faced a pre-game press briefing where he appeared at ease, and engineered a victory over an high-flying Everton team.

It was not obvious whether any specific media reports had irked him, if social media discourse were a factor, or if it was something deeper from within the club at Stamford Bridge.

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