Enzo Maresca: Chelsea boss refuses to explain public outburst but insists he is committed to the club

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has refused to clarify comments that he is not getting support at the club.

The Italian was asked to explain his claim made after Saturday's win over Everton that the previous two days leading up to the game had been his "worst 48 hours" at Stamford Bridge, but shut down multiple questions about who the comments were directed at.

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Speaking ahead of Tuesday's Carabao Cup quarter-final away to Cardiff, live on Sky Sports, he became visibly impatient with requests for him to make sense of remarks that have fuelled intense speculation he was taking aim at the club's owners and sporting directors.

"I already spoke about that and I don't have anything to add," he said.

"It's Cardiff tomorrow, please. I think I was quite clear, no more than that.

"I respect your (the media's) opinion. I respect people's opinions. But again I don't have anything to add. My focus is on tomorrow's game where we can achieve a third semi-final in 18 months since I joined the club.

"We are in an era where everyone can say what they think. I respect people's opinion. I don't have anything to add. My focus is just on tomorrow."

He also reiterated he was not talking about the club's fans when he referred to a lack of support, saying: "I said after the game that I love Chelsea supporters. They deserve the best."

Maresca, who is contracted until 2029 with an option to extend for a further year, was then questioned on his commitment to the club given the outburst.

When asked if he was happy and committed to the club, he replied: "Absolutely, yes."

'Worrying quotes from Maresca'

Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports News:

"Something isn't right at Chelsea.

"Whether this has been brewing for a while or if it is something that has come in the last week to 10 days, when you go off the quotes from Maresca saying he hasn't had much support in the 48 hours on the back of the defeat in Atalanta.

"If you are a Chelsea fan they are worrying quotes.

"I am a big fan of Maresca but it looks like there's a bit of a power play starting, and that never bodes well, especially for a manager.

When asked if it will probably only end one way, Carragher added: "That's what it looks like."

All is not well behind the scenes at Chelsea

Sky Sports News' Kaveh Solhekol:

"It is now clear that all is not well behind the scenes at Chelsea. Enzo Maresca was given multiple opportunities on Monday to deny there were problems between him and the people he reports to at the club and he declined to say anything meaningful at all.

"What he did not say was just as significant as what he said on Saturday evening.

"Maresca obviously still stands by his claim that 'many people did not support' him and the team after last Tuesday's 2-1 defeat at Atalanta.

"Maresca has refused countless opportunities to disclose who these 'many people' are, but he has confirmed he was not talking about Chelsea fans.

"That just leaves the media and Chelsea's leadership team as the intended targets of his cryptic comments.

"By a rudimentary process of elimination, it is clear Maresca is talking about people inside the club because he enjoys a good relationship with the media, especially the reporters on the Chelsea beat.

"Maresca is clearly unhappy with something that happened after Chelsea lost at Atalanta. It is common practice for Chelsea's co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart to carry out a full debrief after every game.

"The Atalanta defeat was Chelsea's fourth game without a win and Maresca would clearly have had questions to answer about the performance and his decisions before and during the game.

"The bottom line is Maresca was happy to buy into Chelsea's management structure when he was appointed 18 months ago, but he now feels he is not getting the support and respect he deserves.

"By going public with his concerns though, however obliquely, he is playing a dangerous game. There is usually only one winner in situations like this and it's often not the manager - or head coach."

Watch Cardiff vs Chelsea in the Carabao Cup quarter-final from 7.30pm on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event this Tuesday

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