The Boss Maresca Describes Pre-Match Time as His 'Most Difficult 48 Hours' at the Blues

Chelsea tactician Enzo Maresca remarked that the preparation to Saturday's triumph against Everton was "the most challenging 48 hours" he has experienced at Stamford Bridge.

The 44-year-old delivered a somewhat cryptic comment in his post-match media briefing despite securing a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those points sent Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, perhaps lightening the atmosphere following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the side's drought without a win to four outings.

But, when questioned about the full-back's assist and overall display, Maresca surprisingly disclosed his annoyance over the previous two days within the club.

"How the lads want to learn has been fantastic and this is the explanation why I applaud them - because with so many issues, they are doing very well after a complicated week," he said.

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

When pushed further on what he meant, the ex- Leicester City manager added: "Worst 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 answered: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before specifying when asked if it was aimed at fans or the press: "I love the fans and we are extremely content with the fans."

Injury and Suspension Woes

Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's ongoing fitness and suspension problems, remarking they had been missing star attacker Cole Palmer for much of the campaign, as well as losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries.

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

"And this squad, regardless of who is on the pitch, they are doing fantastic. Today was 5 games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer playing, we have said many times that he's our best player but we play the vast majority of the season without our top player.

"We play 5 games in the Premier League without Moises Caicedo. This is the reason why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would like people outside to acknowledge because the effort from the players is outstanding."

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

Uncertainty Regarding Maresca's Remark

It was ambiguous who or what prompted Maresca to describe the past 48 hours as the most difficult of his time as Chelsea manager.

In that window, the coach had traveled back with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a training session at Cobham, attended a pre-match news conference where he appeared relaxed, and secured a victory over an high-flying Everton side.

It was not obvious whether any specific media reports had irked him, if social media comments played a role, or if it was something deeper from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca specifically took care to deny that it was an matter involving the club's fans, some of whom have still have yet to fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester in July 2024.