Enzo Maresca raised eyebrows with comments he made in the press conference following his Chelsea side's 2-0 home win over Everton
Chelsea's Italian head coach Enzo Maresca gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Everton at Stamford Bridge in London on December 13, 2025. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca gestures on the touchline during the Premier League match against Everton at Stamford Bridge
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Enzo Maresca left reporters baffled when he responded to Chelsea’s 2-0 home win over Everton by declaring the previous 48 hours had been his “worst” at Stamford Bridge. The Italian used a question about Malo Gusto’s new-found prowess in front of goal - the defender-turned-midfielder scored the crucial second for his side just before half-time - as a platform to deliver the stunning claim.
His comment caused confusion as it was not initially clear why he had found the previous days so difficult. While Chelsea drew at Bournemouth in the Premier League then lost to Atalanta in the Champions League in midweek, they started the day fifth in the table - and rose to fourth through their victory.
The drama after a routine win bore similarities to recent Blues trips to west London. A 2-2 draw three seasons ago plunged the future of then-manager Graham Potter into further doubt. The following season his successor Mauricio Pochettino was left exasperated when a 6-0 win descended into an inquiry over Chelsea players arguing over should take a penalty.
Maresca said in his post-match press conference: “The way the players want to learn has been fantastic and this is the reason why I praise them - 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 because many people didn't support us."
Asked what he meant, he responded: "Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team."
As journalists sought clarity over his claim, he said he meant people “in general” and then, when questioned whether his comment was directed towards supporters or perhaps the media, he said: "I love the fans and we are very happy with the fans."
The former Leicester City manager pointed to injuries and fixture congestion as sources of frustration - highlighting the injuries suffered to Cole Palmer and Liam Delap and recent suspension of Moises Caicedo.
All three have missed chunks of the campaign, with Palmer marking his improving fitness with a start and a goal on Saturday. Caicedo and Delap, an Everton transfer target when he left relegated Ipswich Town in the summer, were again absent. The match was Chelsea’s fifth in 12 days.
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David Moyes, who followed Maresca in speaking to the press after the game, was positive about Everton’s display but when asked by the ECHO whether the defeat - one in which his side created a glut of chances - was simply down to ‘fine margins’ he responded it may have been more to do with the respective transfer outlays of the clubs over recent years, joking: “About a billion pounds.”
He added: “We actually challenged the players to come to Chelsea and show that we could match them. Maybe we just ran short of the quality required.
“When we got the chances we didn't quite take two or three opportunities. I think everyone in the stadium, when they see Cole Palmer going through on goal on his left foot like that, everybody's saying it probably looks like it will be a goal.
“We just dropped at an important moment.”