Following Chelsea's recent Carabao Cup victory against Cardiff City, manager Enzo Maresca has stated he is "just happy" with the win, seemingly moving on from his controversial post-match comments over the weekend. After a 2-0 win against Everton, Maresca surprised many by describing the previous 48 hours as the "worst" since joining the club, citing a lack of support from "many people".
Maresca's initial outburst sparked widespread speculation regarding the target of his criticism, with many suspecting it was directed towards the Chelsea hierarchy, including sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, or even co-owner Behdad Eghbali. The comments came after a mixed run of results, including a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League and Premier League draws, placing Maresca under increased scrutiny. Some reports suggest that Maresca was unhappy with the level of feedback he received from the sporting directors after the Atalanta game. Others suggest he expected public backing from the club after a run of unfavorable results.
In the lead-up to the Carabao Cup match against Cardiff, Maresca was repeatedly questioned about his earlier remarks but declined to elaborate, stating that he had already addressed the issue. He insisted his focus was solely on preparing for the Cardiff game and learning from every experience, regardless of the team's performance. When pressed, Maresca emphasized that "everyone can say what they want," but maintained that he had been clear in his initial statement and had nothing further to add.
Despite his reluctance to revisit the controversy, Maresca did affirm his happiness at Chelsea and acknowledged the importance of the owners, stating that they "put the money in". However, he stopped short of retracting his previous comments.
The lack of clarification has fueled further speculation and drawn criticism from some figures in the football world. Former Manchester United player Wayne Rooney suggested that Maresca's actions were premeditated and could potentially damage his relationship with the Chelsea hierarchy. Rooney argued that Maresca's comments may have cost him any extra protection from those in charge if things turn sour.
Body language expert Darren Stanton analyzed Maresca's press conference demeanor, suggesting that the Chelsea boss appeared "wiped out" and frustrated by the persistent questioning. Stanton even speculated that Maresca might be considering his "exit strategy".
Despite the external noise, Chelsea remains fourth in the Premier League and has advanced to the Carabao Cup semi-finals. Maresca also recently won the Premier League Manager of the Month award for November, recognizing an unbeaten run in the league. The club's official position is that Maresca's job is not under immediate threat, and the plan is to review his position at the end of the season.
