SECRET: INSIDE ENZO MARESCA’S "WORST 48 HOURS" — WHY THE CHELSEA COACH FELT TRULY ALONE RECENTLY.
Enzo Maresca opens up on his "worst 48 hours" at Chelsea, clarifies title race doubts, and confirms the Semenyo transfer stance.
Chelsea's coach, Enzo Maresca, explained why he doesn't think the Blues will win the Premier League this year. He also talked about his worst 48 hours statement after they beat Everton on December 13. After that game, the coach said those were the worst 48 hours since he started at Stamford Bridge in 2024.
Maresca's comment about the worst 48 hours got people talking. Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 at home on December 3, but before that, they hadn't won in three games, losing to Leeds United and Atalanta. The team really needed to win against Everton, and Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto helped them get the three points.
After the game, Maresca told reporters, I praise the players because they're doing great, even with all the problems after a tough week. Since I joined, those 48 hours were the worst because many people weren't supporting us. I'm happy for Malo and everyone else because their hard work showed they're all in and want to help the club.
When asked what he meant, Maresca said, Worst 48 hours because people didn't support the team and me.
He was then asked if it was an internal issue or related to the fans and said, In general. I love the fans, and I'm happy with them.
Looking back on his comments almost two weeks later, the coach told Sky Sports, There are times when things are better or worse. We spend so much time together, it’s normal. It happens in any family.
Maresca was also asked if he was annoyed that people were still talking about his 48-hour comments. He said, It's annoying that we're still talking about it after a few weeks. I get that it caused a reaction in the media, but I can't control that. What bothers me is that we're still on it after a while, when I already said there weren't any issues with the higher-ups before the Newcastle game.
Maresca said that Chelsea isn't likely to win the title because they aren't consistent enough.
This season, Chelsea has beaten Liverpool and Barcelona at home. When asked if it was true that they play better against bigger teams, he agreed and said they need to keep up a high level every week.
He told Sky Sports, That's probably right now, and why we're not closer to the top. We need to be more consistent against different teams. That's something we want to improve, how we play against those teams. Hopefully, we can keep doing well against the big teams.
If you want to be at the top at the end of the season, you have to be consistent. Otherwise, it's tough. That's why I think December, January, and February are important months. After that, you can set your goals in March, and hopefully, we'll be in a position to fight for something big.
Chelsea has decided not to sign Semenyo.
Antoine Semenyo's future at Bournemouth has been uncertain, with many clubs interested in him. Manchester City is said to be the favourite to sign him. The Athletic reported that while Chelsea likes Semenyo, they don't plan to try to sign him in January because they trust their current players.
JAVIER PASTORE SLAMS LIAM ROSENIOR’S "UNFAIR" SUSPENSION OF STAR ENZO FERNANDEZ
Enzo Fernandez’s agent warns Chelsea over "unfair" treatment as Real Madrid rumours swirl ahead of the World Cup.
Enzo Fernandez’s agent isn’t holding back; he just blasted Chelsea’s head coach, Liam Rosenior, and the higher-ups, calling the decision to bench Fernandez “completely unfair.” Fernandez, fresh off a World Cup win with Argentina, got punished after saying in an interview that he’d like to live in Madrid someday. Of course, that kicked off a round of speculation connecting him to Real Madrid.
His agent, Javier Pastore, who used to play for PSG, can’t believe Chelsea took such a hard line. Rosenior made it official: Fernandez won’t play in Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Port Vale, or next weekend’s key Premier League meeting with Manchester City. The coach said Fernandez crossed the line when it comes to the club’s values, after talking about his interest in Spain.
But Pastore says that’s just not right. “This punishment doesn’t fit at all. You’re banning one of Chelsea’s most important players from two really crucial games that could decide if they make the Champions League,” he told The Athletic. Pastore says Fernandez is an anchor for the squad and, in his view, there’s no real justification for such a harsh response.
All this goes back to Fernandez telling an interviewer he’d like to live in Spain one day. Rosenior saw that as a distraction and disrespectful to the club, but Pastore insists his client was just honest about his lifestyle preferences, not making a pitch for a Real Madrid move. According to Pastore, Fernandez didn’t ask for this, and even though he accepted the coach’s call because he’s professional and respects the team, he still doesn’t get why it happened. “He never mentioned any club or said he wanted to leave Chelsea, not even close,” Pastore added. Fernandez only brought up Madrid because it reminds him of Buenos Aires, with the language and culture. “He never said he wanted to leave Chelsea or London,” Pastore pointed out.
And the timing couldn’t be messier. The club and Fernandez’s team have been talking about a possible contract extension for the £107 million signing, but this drama just put everything under a microscope. Pastore warned the board that if they don’t reach a new deal by the end of this summer’s World Cup, Fernandez will start looking at other clubs. That’s more pressure on a club already juggling internal issues. Pastore blamed journalists for overhyping Fernandez’s comments, insisting, “He never said he wanted to leave reporters just twisted things.”
Fernandez isn’t the only one clashing with Rosenior, either. The manager recently had to deal with Marc Cucurella’s interview about wanting to go back to Barcelona. Cucurella didn’t get suspended, but Rosenior made it clear he wasn’t happy those views went public instead of being handled inside the club. So, there’s definitely more than one fire to put out at Cobham these days.
MOISES CAICEDO SPARKS REAL MADRID TRANSFER RUMORS WITH "TIME WILL TELL" ADMISSION
Chelsea’s season hits a low point as Caicedo admits tactical struggles and refuses to rule out a Real Madrid move.
Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo isn’t exactly shutting down the rumours about a move to Real Madrid. When reporters asked if he could see himself joining Madrid one day, he dodged a firm answer. It’s a messy time for Chelsea, too, with captain Enzo Fernandez openly saying he likes Madrid and wouldn’t mind living in Spain. Fernandez got dropped for the next two games, and his agent is fuming about what he called an “unfair” decision.
It’s not helping the mood at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea just crashed out of the Champions League after four straight losses to PSG, and they’ve slipped to sixth in the league. The new manager, Liam Rosenior, is trying to pull everyone together before Saturday’s FA Cup quarterfinal against Port Vale. Still, there’s clear tension: Marc Cucurella used the international break to voice his own frustration.
Now Caicedo, another crucial player, has added to the uncertainty. Speaking to reporters in Madrid while on duty with Ecuador, he didn’t exactly hide the possibility of switching clubs: “You never really know in football, right?” he said. “I’m under contract with Chelsea, and honestly, I haven’t thought about leaving. But you just never know.”
He didn’t leave much doubt that he’s enjoying his time in London, though. “Chelsea is a great club. They’ve looked after me since I got here, and I want to give something back every game, for as long as I’m here. Time will tell.”
Caicedo has made 139 appearances since Chelsea spent £115 million to bring him in from Brighton last August. His contract runs until June 2031, which makes all the transfer talk kind of hypothetical for now, but his other quotes didn’t exactly kill the speculation.
Then there’s the coaching situation. Cucurella spoke up about how the team has struggled since Enzo Maresca left in January, and Caicedo agreed. “It’s tough. We got used to a certain style with Maresca, and Rosenior does things differently. It’s been hard to adapt,” he said. “Sometimes you adjust fast, sometimes it takes longer. Honestly, the whole team feels it right now. But we just have to push through. There’s still a lot to play for.”
