Chelsea's Manager Maresca Calls Pre-Match Period as The 'Worst Two Days' with the Club

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca revealed that the build-up to the weekend's triumph against Everton constituted "the most challenging 48 hours" of his tenure at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian offered a somewhat cryptic statement in his after-game press conference despite earning a 2-0 win at home through finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those three precious points lifted Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, potentially lightening the atmosphere following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the team's winless run to consecutive matches.

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

"How the players want to develop has been excellent and this is the explanation why I applaud them - because with a host of issues, they are doing very well after a complicated week," he stated.

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

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

When questioned if he was referring to people internally at Chelsea, he responded: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before clarifying when asked if it was directed towards fans or the press: "I love the fans and we are extremely pleased with the fans."

Fitness and Disciplinary Woes

Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's persistent injury and suspension issues, noting they had been missing key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, as well as losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and striker Liam Delap to two serious injuries.

"I really commend the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, 11 of them minus Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he said.

"And this squad, no matter who is on the pitch, they are doing exceptionally. Today was five games in 12 days so certainly when you see Cole Palmer playing, 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 without Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so delighted for the players and it's something that I would like people outside to appreciate because the work from the players is remarkable."

Chelsea's success over Everton cemented their position in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup last-eight tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle to come next week.

Speculation Over Maresca's Remark

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

In that period, the Italian had traveled back with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a session at the training ground, faced a pre-match news conference where he seemed at ease, and secured a victory over an high-flying Everton side.

It was hard to discern whether any specific press stories had unsettled him, if online comments played a role, or if it was something more significant from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca specifically took care to rule out that it was an matter related to the club's fans, some of whom have still have yet to fully embrace him since his appointment from Leicester in July last year.