Enzo Maresca didn’t hold back after Chelsea’s chaotic Club World Cup tie against Benfica, a match that lasted nearly five hours, featured a two-hour weather delay, and cast fresh doubt over the United States’ ability to host a flawless World Cup next summer.
Chelsea had been leading through Reece James’s first-half strike when the match was halted in the 86th minute due to nearby lightning in Charlotte.
With a severe weather protocol triggered, both players and fans were ordered to take cover. Light rain eventually fell, but it would be 115 minutes before play resumed.
“I think it’s a joke to be honest,” Maresca said.
“It’s not football. It’s not for us. You cannot be inside [the dressing room]. It’s completely something new, but I struggle to understand.
“I can understand that for security reasons, you are to suspend the game. But if you suspend seven, eight games, that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition.”
Asked to elaborate, Maresca hinted at the situation’s potential to derail the World Cup in 2026.
“It’s a fantastic competition. It’s a Club World Cup. It’s top. We are happy to be in the last eight. We are happy to win all these kinds of things.
“But something happens, six, seven games suspended… because it’s not normal to suspend a game.
In a [FIFA men’s] World Cup, how many games are suspended? Zero, probably. In Europe, how many games? Zero.”
MORE ON CHELSEA ON F365…
👉 Chelsea ‘offered’ £45m Man Utd target as Fabrizio Romano reveals Blues’ transfer ‘focus’
👉 Arsenal: Romano ‘confirms’ Gunners verdict on Chelsea star as ‘green light’ given for fourth signing
👉 Club chief ‘takes lead’ for ‘monumental’ Chelsea forward signing after meeting with manager
During the long delay, Maresca said his players were left in limbo.
When the game resumed, Chelsea were sluggish. Benfica, previously flat, looked reborn. Angel Di Maria equalised from the spot in the 95th minute following a controversial handball.
“It’s something that you struggle to understand,” Maresca added.
“But we tried to go out, continue in the same way, knowing that it was difficult. It’s not random that for 85 minutes, we didn’t concede anything. And then for five minutes, we conceded a few chances. Why? It’s because it started a completely different game. It’s not normal. It’s not football.”
Extra time brought more drama: a red card for Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, three Chelsea goals, and a euphoric Maresca sprinting onto the pitch to celebrate Christopher Nkunku’s strike.
Chelsea now advance to face Palmeiras in the quarter-finals, though they’ll be without Moises Caicedo due to suspension.
Still, the $54 million in prize and appearance fees already earned may ease some tension.
With six weather-related delays already this tournament across five cities, what happens when 48 national teams land next summer?