Chelsea's Manager Maresca Describes Pre-Match Period as The 'Toughest 48 Hours' with the Club

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

The Italian made a somewhat cryptic message in his post-match interview despite earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those crucial points lifted Chelsea once again into the English top flight's top four, perhaps lightening the atmosphere after a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's winless run to four matches.

But, when asked about the full-back's contribution and overall display, Maresca unexpectedly divulged his frustration over the previous 48-hour period within the organization.

"How the lads are eager to learn has been fantastic and this is the explanation why I praise them - because with a host of problems, they are doing very well after a complicated week," he stated.

"Since I joined the club, the previous 48 hours have been the most difficult because a lot of people withheld support from us."

When pushed further on his meaning, the ex- Leicester City boss continued: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people failed to back me and the team."

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

Injury & Suspension Crisis

Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's ongoing injury and disciplinary problems, noting they had been without star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, as well as losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of significant injuries.

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

"And this squad, regardless of who is on the pitch, they are doing brilliantly. Today was 5 games in 12 days so undoubtedly when you see Cole Palmer available, we have 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 without Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would want people externally to appreciate because the commitment from the players is outstanding."

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

Speculation Over Maresca's Remark

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

In that window, the coach had returned with his staff and players from Bergamo, held a training session at the training ground, faced a pre-game news conference where he appeared relaxed, and secured a win over an high-flying Everton side.

It was unclear whether any specific media reports had irked him, if online discourse played a role, or if it was something deeper from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca specifically took care to deny that it was an issue involving the club's supporters, some of whom have not yet fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester in July 2024.