Chelsea's Boss Enzo Maresca Labels Pre-Match Time as The 'Worst 48 Hours' at the Blues

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca revealed that the run-up to Saturday's win against Everton represented "the worst 48 hours" he has experienced at Stamford Bridge.

The 44-year-old delivered a rather mysterious message in his post-match press conference even after notching a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge through strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those three precious points propelled Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, potentially lightening the mood following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the team's winless run to consecutive outings.

However, when asked about the full-back's contribution and general display, Maresca unexpectedly disclosed his frustration over the preceding 48-hour period at the club.

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

"From the moment I arrived at the club, the last 48 hours have been the most difficult because several people withheld support from us."

Pressed on his meaning, the former Leicester City boss continued: "Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team."

When asked if he was referring to people internally at Chelsea, he replied: "In general. In general," before clarifying when asked if it was directed towards supporters or the press: "I adore the fans and we are very happy with the fans."

Injury and Suspension Woes

Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's ongoing injury and suspension issues, noting they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, in addition to losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and forward Liam Delap to two serious injuries.

"I truly commend the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, eleven of them without Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he said.

"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are performing fantastic. Today was 5 games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer there, we said many times that he's our top player but we play almost all season minus our best player.

"We play five games in the Premier League minus 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 recognize because the commitment from the players is fantastic."

Chelsea's win over Everton strengthened their standing 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 Regarding Maresca's Comments

It was ambiguous what exactly prompted Maresca to describe the past 48 hours as the most difficult of his time as Chelsea head coach.

In that period, the coach had returned with his staff and players from Bergamo, held a training session at Cobham, attended a pre-match news conference where he seemed at ease, and secured a victory over an high-flying Everton team.

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

Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an issue related to the club's supporters, some of whom have still have yet to fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester in July 2024.