Enzo Maresca confirms no talks with Chelsea hierarchy since public outburst | OneFootball

Speculation over an internal rift at Stamford Bridge has been rife since Blues head coach lamented “worst 48 hours” of his reign before Everton win

Maresca revealed on Saturday after a 2-0 home victory in the Premier League that he had not felt fully supported after last week’s Champions League defeat in Atalanta.

His cryptic complaints prompted speculation of a rift between himself and the Chelsea owners or with co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.

Tuesday night saw Maresca’s side reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals with a 3-1 win over Cardiff.

When he spoke to the media after the game, the Chelsea head coach said he had not spoken with either sporting director since making his original comments.

Chelsea face Newcastle on Saturday in their final match before Christmas, and Maresca insisted that he is fully focused on the games ahead, which come thick and fast. He said he will watch back two Newcastle fixtures while on the team bus from Cardiff to London on Tuesday night.

Asked whether he has spoken with either Winstanley or Stewart since making his “worst 48 hours” revelation on Saturday, Maresca replied: “No. As I said yesterday, the day after Everton I started to prepare Cardiff, focus on Cardiff.

“Now I just said, on the bus I will watch two Newcastle [games]. I didn't speak with [either] of them.”

Despite Chelsea’s unconvincing performance at Cardiff, Maresca said it was a night which helped him fall further “in love” with his players.

“These are the kind of games where I fall in love even more with the players because it's very, very easy,” he said.

“You cannot imagine how easy it is to slip [up] because they are tricky games.”