‘Worst 48 Hours’—Enzo Maresca Unleashes Surprise Chelsea Rant After Everton Win

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca left onlookers stunned as he used an innocuous question to admit he had felt a brutal lack of support over what he described as his “worst 48 hours” in charge of the club.

The Blues snapped a four-game winless streak—three disappointing performances after the impressive 1–1 draw with Arsenal—with a routine 2–0 triumph over the Toffees on Saturday as the returning Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto found the back of the net for Chelsea.

Towards the end of his press conference, Maresca was asked for his verdict on Gusto’s performance. While his answer began with praise for the Frenchman, it took an unexpected turn.

“We said many times that Reece [James] and Malo, they are both fullbacks and [against Everton] they were both midfielders,” he began. “So the effort, the open mind, the way they want to learn has been fantastic and this is the reason why I praise the players because with so many problems, they are doing very well after a complicated week.

“Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst 48 hours since I joined the club because many people didn’t support us. So I’m very happy for Malo in that moment that the effort from Malo and from the rest show that they are all there and they want to help this club.”

Who Was Maresca Referring to in Postmatch Rant?

Malo Gusto, Enzo Maresca — Maresca’s praise for Malo Gusto sparked a surprise admission. | Robin Jones/Getty Images

Surprised members of the press quickly tried to extract more details from Maresca, who repeated: “Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn’t support me and the team.”

Asked who these people were, Maresca added: “In general. In general.”

The Chelsea boss was then given the chance to single out either the fanbase or the media. “I love the fans and we are very happy with the fans,” he responded.

It was an uncomfortable exchange which left many wondering what had sparked Maresca’s frustration. The narrative surrounding Chelsea across their three games prior to the win over Everton was negative but by no means as low as it has been at times in the past.

Speculation over a possible issue behind the scenes was, unsurprisingly, rife. The Daily Mail, however, reported on a sense of calm from one insider.

This is unlikely to be the last we hear of Maresca’s comments, with the Blues boss potentially facing further questions in his media appearances over the coming week. Chelsea are in action against Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup quarterfinal on Tuesday before a trip to Newcastle United on Saturday.