The Boss Maresca Calls Lead-Up Period as The 'Worst 48 Hours' at the Blues

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca revealed that the build-up to the weekend's victory against Everton represented "the toughest 48 hours" of his tenure at Stamford Bridge.

The 44-year-old offered a somewhat cryptic message in his after-game press conference even after securing a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge through finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those three precious points sent Chelsea once again into the English top flight's top four, perhaps improving the atmosphere following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's winless run to four matches.

However, when questioned about Gusto's contribution and overall display, Maresca surprisingly disclosed his annoyance over the previous two days at the organization.

"The way the lads want to learn has been superb and this is the reason why I commend them - because with numerous problems, they are performing admirably after a tricky week," he commented.

"Since I joined the club, the past 48 hours have been the toughest because several people failed to back us."

When pushed further on the specifics, the former Leicester City manager elaborated: "Most difficult 48 hours since I came to the club because people failed to back me and the team."

When questioned if he meant people within at Chelsea, he replied: "In general. Overall," before specifying when asked if it was directed towards supporters or the media: "I adore the fans and we are very content with the fans."

Injury and Disciplinary Crisis

Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's ongoing injury and disciplinary issues, noting they had been without star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the season, in addition to losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and striker Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries.

"I truly applaud the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them minus Moises Caicedo, 11 of them minus Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them without Liam Delap," he explained.

"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 5 games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so happy for the players and it's something that I would like people externally to appreciate because the commitment from the players is remarkable."

Chelsea's win over Everton consolidated their position in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup last-eight clash at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle to come in the coming days.

Uncertainty Over Maresca's Comments

It was not immediately clear what exactly caused Maresca to describe the past 48 hours as the most difficult of his time as Chelsea manager.

In that period, the Italian had traveled back with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, conducted a training session at Cobham, faced a pre-match press briefing where he seemed relaxed, and secured a win over an in-form Everton side.

It was unclear whether any particular press stories had unsettled him, if online comments were a factor, or if it was something deeper from within the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca specifically took care to deny that it was an matter involving the club's supporters, a section of which have still have yet to fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester in July 2024.