Sports
I can try in Italian, Spanish, French so you are all aware, it’s finished
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca snapped at journalists this afternoon after being asked repeatedly to explain his cryptic comments following the 2-0 win over Everton at the weekend.
Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the victory over the Toffees, he said: “Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because many people didn’t support us.”
Chelsea had endured a four-game winless run prior to the Everton victory, the latest setback coming four days earlier at Atalanta.
It was not clear at the time if Maresca was making a pointed remark in the direction of the club’s board or the media.
Asked about it today ahead of tomorrow night’s EFL Cup quarter-final clash at Cardiff City, he refused to elaborate.
“I already spoke about that and I don’t have nothing to add,” he said. “It’s Cardiff tomorrow, please. I already spoke about that and I think I was quite clear. No more than that.
“I respect people’s opinion but again I have nothing to add. My focus is on tomorrow’s game and that we can achieve the third semi-final in 18 months since I joined the club.”
Do you want it in another language?
After being pressed again on the same subject, his patience finally ended. “I can speak Italian, which is my language, French very well, Spanish very well and English more or less. But I think when I want to say something I am quite clear,” he said.
“I already spoke after the game, I don’t need to add more.
“If you want, I can try in Italian, Spanish, French so you are all aware. It’s done, it’s finished. It was after the game. I said after the game, now it’s focus on Cardiff and [reaching] a third semi-final [in the EFL Cup] in 18 months.”
Maresca insisted he was enjoying life at Chelsea having led them to the Club World Cup title in the summer.
He said: “Absolutely, it’s fantastic. I said also last week, no matter if we win or we lose, whether we are in a good moment or a bad moment, it’s a fantastic opportunity because you can learn always. I love to learn and I am very happy with that.”
Palmer to sit out Cardiff clash
He confirmed playmaker Cole Palmer will be rested for the trip to South Wales but stressed the Blues would not be taking the League One club lightly.
“We need to move forward because tomorrow we have Cardiff,” he said. “A dangerous game, a tricky game, so we need to have attention. These are the worst games. Football is full of these kinds of games where the favourite one, they can lose. That’s why we need to pay attention, that’s why the focus has to be on Cardiff.”
