Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca did not mince his words in the post-match press conference following his side’s disappointing 2-2 draw at home against Ipswich Town.
Maresca Calls Out Fernandez and Sanchez for Mistakes in Crucial Ipswich Clash
With pressure mounting after dropping points to Brentford last weekend, Maresca’s frustration boiled over as he publicly pointed fingers at two of his key players — Enzo Fernandez and goalkeeper Robert Sanchez — for the mistakes that ultimately cost the Blues crucial points.
In a game Chelsea were widely expected to win, things quickly unraveled after a promising start. The home side created several chances in the opening minutes but failed to capitalise.
Ipswich responded with two soft goals in the first half, both stemming from individual errors that left Maresca fuming.
“I think we started quite well, creating chances,” Maresca explained.
“But when they scored the first goal, the game completely changed. For 20-25 minutes until halftime, we were not good enough — especially defensively. The two goals we conceded were from our own mistakes.”
The manager didn’t shy away from naming names.
“The first goal is on Enzo [Fernandez] — it’s a long ball, he loses possession, and we concede. The second is a goal kick, long ball, and again, we concede. That’s on Robert [Sanchez]. Both goals we can defend better.”
The directness of Maresca’s criticism reflects the growing tension at Stamford Bridge. With tough fixtures on the horizon and fans growing impatient, Chelsea’s margin for error continues to shrink.
The Blues have struggled with consistency all season, and Maresca has made it clear that he expects more from his senior players — especially when the stakes are this high.
“It’s tough at this stage of the season,” Maresca added.
“If you score first, the dynamic of the game shifts. But when you concede like this, belief and momentum disappear.”
With the top-four race intensifying, Chelsea will need to regroup quickly — and Maresca will hope his players learn fast from these mistakes.
