Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has skillfully avoided clarifying whether he feels fully backed by the club's hierarchy, despite guiding his side to the Carabao Cup semi-finals. The Blues secured a 3-1 victory away at League One's Cardiff City on Tuesday 16 December 2025, but post-match talk again centred on the Italian's recent cryptic remarks about a lack of support.
Maresca's Cryptic Comments Spark Speculation
The controversy began over the weekend following Chelsea's straightforward 2-0 Premier League win against Everton. In a surprising post-match statement, Maresca revealed he had endured "the worst 48 hours since I joined the club" because, in his words, "so many people didn't support us." This immediately fuelled speculation that his comments were aimed at the club's ownership or its sporting directors.
Maresca refused to elaborate on these claims during his pre-match press conference ahead of the Cardiff trip. His defiance continued after the final whistle at the Cardiff City Stadium, though he notably shifted his focus onto the game and the club's supporters.
Focus on the Fans and the Semi-Final
Speaking to Sky Sports after the cup victory, Maresca chose to highlight the positive. "Tonight the focus has to be that we reached the semi-final," he stated. "The support from fans has always been there, overall tonight the focus has to be that we won and we are in the semi-final."
He added, "We are in a semi-final, we will wait for tomorrow night to see what the next step is to get to the final and hopefully we can reach the final." This marked his third semi-final appearance since taking charge at Stamford Bridge, keeping hopes of a first domestic trophy under his leadership very much alive.
Substitutes Secure the Win
The path to the last four was not entirely smooth for a heavily rotated Chelsea side. Maresca made 11 changes to his starting lineup, which led to a nervy performance before the quality of his substitutes told.
Goals from second-half replacements Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto ultimately sealed the 3-1 win, sparing the manager's blushes. Maresca praised his squad's depth, saying, "I trust all the players, knowing that sometimes for some it's more difficult. Tonight we had Buonanotte, not playing a lot, it's not easy for them but they did a huge effort and we were better on the ball in the second half."
Despite the on-field success, Maresca's concluding words left his relationship with the club's powerbrokers ambiguous. "We are going in the right direction," he insisted, "everything I do is because I want the best for everyone - the fans, players everyone." The unanswered question of who exactly failed to support him during those difficult 48 hours continues to loom over Chelsea's progress.
