'It's a Joke': Chelsea Boss Maresca Slams Weather Chaos
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca lashed out at the two-hour weather delay that disrupted his team's Club World Cup victory over Benfica on Saturday, suggesting the tournament should be played elsewhere in future.
Chelsea powered into the quarter-finals after defeating Benfica 4-1 in extra-time after a game that took 4hrs 39mins to complete following a two-hour stoppage due to a storm warning.
It was the sixth time that a game has been halted at the tournament due to widely used rules in the United States that require outdoor sporting events to be halted if there is a chance of lightning.
Maresca said afterwards the number of games that had been disrupted should prompt a rethink, AFP said.
"For me personally, it's not football," the Chelsea boss said. "It's already (six) games they suspended here. I think it's a joke. It's not football.
"It's completely amazing, it's completely something new that I struggle to understand.
"I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game. But if you suspend seven or eight games, that means that probably this is not the right place to do this competition."
Chelsea had been poised to wrap up victory after Reece James's second-half free-kick left them 1-0 up with four minutes left to play.
But the storm warning forced the players off the field and it was nearly two hours before play resumed.
"It was one of the best performances of the last few weeks," Maresca said.
"The game was very good for 85 minutes, then we stopped for two hours, and when we started it was a completely different game. It's not the same game because you break the tempo."
Maresca emphasized that he remained a fan of the Club World Cup, which was expanded to 32 teams for the first time this year, and is being held in the United States as an informal dress rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
"It's a fantastic competition. It's the Club World Cup, all the best clubs are here," he said.
"But six, seven games suspended? It's not normal. In a World Cup how many have they suspended? Probably zero. In a European (Championship), how many games? Zero. There is some problem."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
42 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
US Women Beat Ireland 4-0 for the Second Straight Match
Izzy Rodriguez scored in her first appearance for the national team, and the US shut out Ireland 4–0 on Sunday. Lynn Biyendolo, Yazmeen Ryan, and Alyssa Thompson also scored for the US, which beat Ireland by an identical score in Commerce City, Colorado, on Thursday. The US went up early when Biyendolo took a cross from Emma Sears and calmly scored her 25th international goal in the 11th minute. Biyendolo was captain for the match. Left back Rodriguez started in her debut and scored on a rebound goal in the 42nd minute to make it 2–0. After halftime, Sears kept the ball in play and sent it to Olivia Moultrie, who crossed to Ryan for the goal in the 66th minute. It was Ryan's first international goal. Thompson came off the bench and scored in her second straight match in the 86th minute. Rose Lavelle, who is from Cincinnati, came in as a substitute in the 87th minute after the crowd at TQL Stadium started chanting her name. Lavelle scored in Thursday's match, making her first appearance of the year for the national team after having ankle surgery. In addition to Rodriguez, Seattle Reign midfielder Sam Meza also started in her debut for the team. Coach Vlatko Andonovski made eleven changes to the starting lineup from Thursday's match. Twenty-four players have made their debut for the national team in 24 games under Andonovski, who has been tasked with preparing the team for qualification for the Women's World Cup. The US was without many of its Europe-based players, including Lindsay Horan and Crystal Dunn, whom Andonovski was resting following the European season. Ireland was also missing a few stars, including Katie McCabe, who was given time off after the season with Arsenal, and Denise O'Sullivan, who plays for the North Carolina Courage and is injured. The US next plays Canada on Wednesday at Audi Field in Washington.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Jose Altuve homers and Framber Valdez tosses six shutout innings in Astros' 2-0 win over Cubs
Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer, and Framber Valdez tossed six shutout innings as the Houston Astros beat the Chicago Cubs 2–0 on Sunday. Altuve's 13th home run of the season broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning. It was his first extra-base hit in 34 at-bats and the Astros' only extra-base hit of the game. Valdez (9–4) struck out six while allowing five hits and two walks. Only one man reached third base against him. He exited with two on and nobody out in the seventh, but Bryan Abreu replaced him and retired Michael Busch, Vidal Bruján, and Ian Happ to work out of trouble. Abreu pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning. He struck out four of the six men he faced. Josh Hader retired the side in order in the ninth inning to convert on his franchise-record 23rd straight save opportunity to start the season. Jameson Taillon (7–6) matched zeroes with Valdez until Altuve's home run on his 107th and final pitch of his outing. He struck out four while giving up five hits and one walk over 4 2/3 innings. The bullpen trio of Ryan Brasier, Ryan Pressly, and Brad Keller held the Astros to two hits over 3 1/3 innings. Key Moment: Altuve's fifth-inning, two-run homer to break the scoreless tie. Key Stat: The Astros are unbeaten in their last 11 series dating back to May 22, going 9–0–2 in that span. Up Next: The Cubs open a three-game series against the Guardians on Tuesday with LHP Matthew Boyd (7–3, 2.65 ERA) against RHP Gavin Williams (5–3, 3.68 ERA). The Astros open a three-game series at the Rockies on Tuesday with LHP Colton Gordon (3–1, 3.98 ERA) against RHP Chase Dollander (2–8, 6.06 EA).
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Dean Kremer Shuts Down Rays For 7 Innings In Orioles' 5-1 Victory
Dean Kremer allowed three singles in seven scoreless innings, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5–1 on Sunday. Kremer (7–7) struck out six and walked one. He has surrendered just two runs in his last three starts covering 17 2/3 innings and finished seven for the fourth time in 16 starts. Keegan Akin replaced Kremer to begin the eighth and benefited when Colton Cowser took a two-run homer away from Danny Jansen in left field. Brandon Lowe hit his 18th home run off Félix Bautista to start the ninth and extend his hitting streak to 16 games. Bautista struck out Jonathan Aranda – who had his 13-game hitting streak snapped – and then fanned Jake Mangum and Curtis Mead to end it. Ramón Laureano hit the first pitch from Taj Bradley (5–6) in the second for a double, and Cowser hit his second pitch for a single and a 1–0 lead. Bradley retired nine straight before Gary Sánchez and Cedric Mullins had hits to start the fifth. Coby Mayo made it three straight singles for a two-run lead, and Ramón Urías added a sacrifice fly to make it 3–0. Bradley was replaced by Kevin Kelly with two on and one out in the sixth. Sánchez singled to score O'Hearn, and Mullins followed with a sac fly for a 5–0 advantage. Bradley allowed five runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Key moment The Rays had two on with one out in the first, but Kremer worked out of the jam and then allowed a single and a walk through the next six innings. Key stat The teams combined for 44 runs in splitting the first two games of the series. Up next Tampa Bay will host the Athletics for three games beginning Monday. Neither team has announced a starting pitcher. Baltimore begins a six-game trip on Monday with the first of three against the Rangers. Neither team has announced a starting pitcher.
