Chelsea's Manager Maresca Describes Lead-Up Time as His 'Most Difficult 48 Hours' at the Blues

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca stated that the preparation to the weekend's victory against Everton represented "the most challenging 48 hours" he has experienced at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian offered a somewhat cryptic message in his post-match press conference despite earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge courtesy of strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those three precious points lifted Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, perhaps improving the mood after a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the side's drought without a win to consecutive matches.

But, when asked about the full-back's contribution and general performance, Maresca unexpectedly divulged his frustration over the previous two days at the organization.

"How the players are eager to improve has been excellent and this is the explanation why I applaud them - because with numerous problems, they are performing admirably after a tricky week," he commented.

"From the moment I arrived at the club, the previous 48 hours have been the toughest because a lot of people didn't support us."

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

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

Injury and Disciplinary Crisis

Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's ongoing fitness and suspension problems, remarking they had been missing star attacker Cole Palmer for much of the campaign, in addition to losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to two serious injuries.

"I truly commend the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, eleven 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 fantastic. Today was five games in 12 days so undoubtedly when you see Cole Palmer available, 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 explanation why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would like people externally to acknowledge because the effort from the players is remarkable."

Chelsea's win over Everton consolidated their position in 4th place in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle scheduled in the coming days.

Uncertainty Over Maresca's Comments

It was unclear who or what prompted Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea head coach.

In that period, the Italian had returned with his staff and players from Bergamo, conducted a training session at the training ground, attended a pre-game press briefing where he appeared relaxed, and engineered a victory over an high-flying Everton team.

It was not obvious whether any particular media reports had unsettled him, if social media 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 related to the club's supporters, a section of which have still have yet to fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester during July last year.