The Boss Maresca Labels Lead-Up Time as His 'Worst Two Days' with the Club
Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca revealed that the preparation to Saturday's triumph against Everton constituted "the most challenging 48 hours" he has experienced at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian made a puzzling statement in his post-match media briefing despite notching a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those points lifted Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, perhaps improving the atmosphere after a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's drought without a win to consecutive outings.
Yet, when questioned about the full-back's contribution and overall display, Maresca unexpectedly divulged his annoyance over the previous 48-hour period at the club.
"The way the lads are eager to improve has been fantastic and this is the reason why I commend them - because with so many issues, they are performing admirably after a tricky week," he said.
"Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the most difficult because many people withheld support from us."
Pressed on the specifics, the ex- Leicester City boss elaborated: "Most difficult 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 specifying when queried if it was directed towards supporters or the press: "I love the fans and we are very content with the fans."
Injury and Disciplinary Woes
Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's ongoing injury and suspension problems, noting they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the season, in addition to losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to two serious injuries.
"I really praise the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, eleven of them minus Cole Palmer, almost all of them minus Liam Delap," he said.
"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are performing exceptionally. Today was 5 games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer available, we said many times that he's our top 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 explanation why I'm so delighted for the players and it's something that I would want people externally to acknowledge because the commitment from the players is outstanding."
Chelsea's success over Everton cemented their position in 4th place in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup last-eight clash at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle scheduled in the coming days.
Speculation Over Maresca's Comments
It was ambiguous who or what prompted Maresca to describe the past 48 hours as the worst of his spell as Chelsea manager.
In that period, the Italian had returned with his backroom team and players from his native Italy, held a training session at the training ground, faced a pre-game news conference where he appeared at ease, and engineered a victory over an in-form Everton team.
It was unclear whether any particular media reports had unsettled him, if online comments played a role, or if it was something deeper from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an matter involving the club's supporters, some of whom have not yet fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester in July last year.