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

Chelsea tactician Enzo Maresca stated that the run-up to Saturday's win against Everton represented "the worst 48 hours" of his tenure at Stamford Bridge.

The 44-year-old made a somewhat cryptic message in his after-game press conference even after earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge through strikes 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 extended the team's winless run to four outings.

Yet, when questioned about Gusto's assist and general display, Maresca surprisingly disclosed his displeasure over the preceding two days within the organization.

"The way the lads want to learn has been superb and this is the reason why I praise them - because with numerous challenges, they are doing very well after a difficult week," he said.

"Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the most difficult because many people failed to back us."

When pushed further on the specifics, the former Leicester City boss added: "Worst 48 hours since I came to the club because people didn't support me and the team."

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

Injury and Disciplinary Woes

Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's persistent injury and disciplinary issues, noting they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, as well as losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and forward Liam Delap to two 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 minus Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he said.

"And this squad, regardless of who is on the pitch, they are performing brilliantly. Today was five games in 12 days so certainly when you see Cole Palmer available, we said many times that he's our top player but we play almost all season minus our top player.

"We play five games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the reason why I'm so happy for the players and it's something that I would like people outside to acknowledge because the effort from the players is fantastic."

Chelsea's success over Everton strengthened their position in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle scheduled next week.

Speculation Regarding Maresca's Remark

It was unclear what exactly caused Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the most difficult of his tenure as Chelsea head coach.

In that timeframe, the coach had traveled back with his staff and players from his native Italy, held a training session at the training ground, attended a pre-match news conference where he appeared relaxed, and secured a win over an in-form Everton team.

It was not obvious whether any specific press stories had unsettled him, if online discourse 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 fans, a section of which have still have yet to fully embrace him since his appointment from Leicester during July 2024.