The Boss Enzo Maresca Calls Lead-Up Time as The 'Toughest Two Days' with the Club

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca remarked that the run-up to the weekend's win against Everton constituted "the worst 48 hours" since his arrival at Stamford Bridge.

The 44-year-old offered a somewhat cryptic comment in his after-game media briefing despite earning a 2-0 win at home thanks to strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those points sent Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, potentially improving the mood following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's winless run to four outings.

Yet, when questioned about the full-back's assist and overall display, Maresca surprisingly divulged his frustration over the previous two days at the club.

"How the squad are eager to develop has been excellent and this is the explanation why I applaud them - because with numerous problems, they are performing admirably after a difficult week," he stated.

"Since I joined the club, the previous 48 hours have been the most difficult because a lot of people didn't support us."

When pushed further on the specifics, the ex- Leicester City manager added: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team."

When asked if he meant people internally at Chelsea, he answered: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before specifying when queried if it was aimed at fans or the press: "I adore the fans and we are very pleased with the fans."

Injury and Disciplinary Woes

Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's ongoing fitness and suspension problems, noting they had been missing key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the season, in addition to being deprived of linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of significant injuries.

"I really applaud 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, almost all of them minus Liam Delap," he explained.

"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are doing exceptionally. Today was five games in 12 days so certainly when you see Cole Palmer available, 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 five games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the reason why I'm so delighted for the players and it's something that I would want people outside to recognize because the commitment from the players is remarkable."

Chelsea's success over Everton strengthened their standing in fourth in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup last-eight clash at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled next week.

Speculation Over Maresca's Remark

It was ambiguous who or what caused Maresca to label the past 48 hours as the most difficult of his spell as Chelsea head coach.

In that window, the coach had returned with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, conducted a training session at the training ground, faced a pre-match press briefing where he appeared at ease, and secured a win over an in-form Everton side.

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

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