The Boss Enzo Maresca Labels Lead-Up Time as His 'Worst Two Days' at the Club

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

The Italian delivered a rather mysterious statement in his after-game interview even after earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those crucial points sent Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, potentially lightening the mood after a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the team's winless run to four matches.

But, when questioned about the full-back's assist and general display, Maresca unexpectedly shared his annoyance over the preceding 48-hour period at the organization.

"How the lads want to develop has been fantastic and this is the explanation why I commend them - because with a host of challenges, they are performing admirably after a tricky week," he stated.

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

When pushed further on what he meant, the ex- Leicester City boss added: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people failed to back me and the team."

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

Injury and Disciplinary Crisis

Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's ongoing injury and disciplinary problems, noting they had been without star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the season, as well as losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries.

"I really commend the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus 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 on the pitch, they are doing exceptionally. Today was five games in 12 days so undoubtedly when you see Cole Palmer there, we have said many times that he's our finest 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 reason why I'm so happy for the players and it's something that I would like people externally to acknowledge because the effort from the players is fantastic."

Chelsea's win over Everton cemented their standing 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 next week.

Speculation Over Maresca's Comments

It was not immediately clear what exactly caused Maresca to describe the past 48 hours as the worst of his time as Chelsea head coach.

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

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

Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an issue involving the club's supporters, some of whom have not yet fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester in July 2024.