The Manager Enzo Maresca Calls Pre-Match Time as The 'Toughest 48 Hours' with the Blues

Chelsea tactician Enzo Maresca remarked that the build-up to Saturday's triumph against Everton represented "the most challenging 48 hours" since his arrival at Stamford Bridge.

The 44-year-old delivered a somewhat cryptic message in his post-match interview despite earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge through strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those points propelled Chelsea once again into the English top flight's top four, perhaps improving the atmosphere after a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's winless run to consecutive matches.

However, when asked about Gusto's assist and overall performance, Maresca surprisingly disclosed his frustration over the previous two days at the club.

"How the players are eager to improve has been excellent and this is the explanation why I commend them - because with numerous problems, they are doing very well after a complicated week," he stated.

"From the moment I arrived at 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: "Worst 48 hours since I came to the club because people didn't support me and the team."

When questioned if he was referring to people internally at Chelsea, he replied: "In general. In general," before clarifying when asked if it was aimed at fans or the media: "I adore the fans and we are extremely happy with the fans."

Fitness and Disciplinary Crisis

Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's ongoing fitness and suspension problems, noting they had been without star attacker Cole Palmer for much of the campaign, in addition to losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and striker Liam Delap to a couple of significant injuries.

"I really commend the players and the squad because we have 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, no matter who is on the pitch, they are performing exceptionally. Today was five games in 12 days so certainly when you see Cole Palmer playing, we have said many times that he's our top player but we play the vast majority of the season minus our best player.

"We play 5 games in the Premier League without Moises Caicedo. This is the reason why I'm so delighted for the players and it's something that I would like people outside to recognize because the work 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 trip to Newcastle to come in the coming days.

Speculation Regarding Maresca's Comments

It was ambiguous who or what caused Maresca to label the previous 48 hours as the worst of his time as Chelsea head coach.

In that window, the Italian had traveled back with his staff and players from Bergamo, conducted a training session at the training ground, faced a pre-game news conference where he seemed at ease, and secured a victory over an high-flying Everton side.

It was not obvious whether any specific press stories had unsettled him, if online comments played a role, or if it was something more significant from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an matter related to the club's fans, a section of which have still have yet to fully warm to him since his arrival from Leicester during July 2024.