Chelsea's Boss Enzo Maresca Calls Lead-Up Time as The 'Toughest 48 Hours' with the Blues

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca remarked that the preparation to Saturday's triumph against Everton represented "the worst 48 hours" he has experienced with the London club.

The 44-year-old offered a rather mysterious comment in his post-match interview even after notching a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge courtesy of finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those three precious points sent Chelsea back into the Premier League's top four, potentially improving the mood after a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's winless run to consecutive fixtures.

However, when questioned about Gusto's assist and overall performance, Maresca surprisingly disclosed his displeasure over the previous 48-hour period within the organization.

"The way the squad are eager to improve has been superb and this is the explanation why I commend them - because with so many problems, they are doing very well after a tricky week," he stated.

"From the moment I arrived at the club, the previous 48 hours have been the worst because a lot of people failed to back us."

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

When asked if he was referring to people within at Chelsea, he responded: "In general. In general," before specifying when queried if it was aimed at fans or the press: "I love the fans and we are extremely happy with the fans."

Injury & Disciplinary Woes

Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's persistent injury and suspension problems, remarking they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for much of the season, in addition to losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to two significant injuries.

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

"And this squad, regardless of who is playing, they are performing fantastic. Today was five games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer available, we have said many times that he's our finest 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 commitment from the players is outstanding."

Chelsea's triumph over Everton strengthened their position in 4th place in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup last-eight tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled next week.

Speculation Over Maresca's Comments

It was ambiguous who or what caused Maresca to describe the past 48 hours as the worst of his spell as Chelsea manager.

In that timeframe, the Italian had returned with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, conducted a session at Cobham, attended a pre-match press briefing where he appeared at ease, and secured a victory over an in-form Everton team.

It was unclear whether any specific media reports had irked him, if social media comments played a role, or if it was something more significant from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca only sought to rule out 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.