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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘It's a joke' – Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca slams Club World Cup delays and fumes US shouldn't host tournament
ENZO MARESCA slammed the decision to suspend Chelsea's clash with Benfica for TWO HOURS as "a joke". Advertisement 3 Enzo Maresca was less than impressed with Chelsea's delay against Benfica Credit: Getty 3 The Blues beat Benfica but only after the game needed five hours to finish Credit: Getty The On the resumption, Angel Di Maria equalised with a controversial stoppage-time penalty to take the game to extra time, only for Maresca, in his press conference, said of the long delay: "I think it's a joke, to be honest. "It's not football, it's completely something new, I struggle to understand. Advertisement READ MORE ON FOOTBALL "I can understand if it's security reasons but if you suspend seven or eight games then it's probably not the right place to do the competition. "It's not normal to suspend the game. In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Zero probably. In Europe how many games get suspended? Zero. "We've been here two weeks and they've already suspended six or seven games, there is some problems for me personally. Advertisement Most read in Football Breaking "I'm talking as a manager because when you're two hours inside and you have to try to keep them (the players) in the game, they're speaking to their families outside for safety reasons, they're eating, they're playing, they're laughing, how can you keep them inside focused for two hours? It's a joke." JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS Players were pictured riding exercise bikes and kicking balls in the dressing room during the enforced break. Advertisement Chelsea vs Benfica SUSPENDED with just five minutes left as referee takes players off due to severe lightning storm 3 Trevoh Chalobah saw thr funny side of the lenghty delay Credit: Getty Maresca told DAZN: "Especially when it's 85 minutes, five minutes to go, it's very difficult. "But we tried to keep them in the best way we could in that moment and, at the end, we are in the last eight teams here in this competition and we are very happy." Gianluca Prestianni saw red for Bruno Lage's men in extra time for a second yellow card as Chelsea booked their place against Palmeiras in the quarter-finals. Advertisement The Blues could now come up against Palmeiras' Stamford Bridge-bound Estevao Willian, whose side defeated fellow Brazilian club Botafogo on Saturday. Club World Cup 2025 Guide SOME of the world's biggest clubs are in action at this summer's Club World Cup in the United States! Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Man City, and Inter Miami are among the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 13. The likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane are showcasing their skills to packed crowds across the US. INFO Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup LATEST NEWS & FEATURES Club World Cup top scorers


Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
It's a joke – Enzo Maresca unhappy at long delay in Chelsea-Benfica tie
The tie took almost five hours to complete after the teams were forced inside, with the Blues 1-0 up with four minutes remaining thanks to Reece James' free-kick, due to 'the risk of lightning in the vicinity of Bank of America Stadium'. On the resumption, Angel Di Maria equalised with a controversial stoppage-time penalty to take the game to extra time, only for Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to seal Chelsea's win. Game started Saturday and ended Sunday 🤣 — Trevoh Chalobah (@TrevohChalobah) June 29, 2025 Maresca, in his press conference, said of the long delay: 'I think it's a joke, to be honest. 'It's not football, it's completely something new, I struggle to understand. 'I can understand if it's security reasons but if you suspend seven or eight games then it's probably not the right place to do the competition. 'It's not normal to suspend the game. In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Zero probably. In Europe how many games get suspended? Zero. 'We've been here two weeks and they've already suspended six or seven games, there is some problems for me personally. Meanwhile, in the dressing room. — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 28, 2025 'I'm talking as a manager because when you're two hours inside and you have to try to keep them (the players) in the game, they're speaking to their families outside for safety reasons, they're eating, they're playing, they're laughing, how can you keep them inside focused for two hours? It's a joke.' One of Maresca's players at least was able to make light of the delay, which saw the game finish at 1.40am UK time, with defender Trevoh Chalobah posting on social media: 'Game started Saturday and ended Sunday'. Players were pictured riding exercise bikes and kicking balls in the dressing room during the enforced break and Maresca told broadcaster DAZN: 'Especially when it's 85 minutes, five minutes to go, it's very difficult. 'But we tried to keep them in the best way we could in that moment and, at the end, we are in the last eight teams here in this competition and we are very happy.' Gianluca Prestianni saw red for Bruno Lage's men in extra time for a second yellow card as Chelsea booked their place against Palmeiras in the quarter-finals. The Blues could now come up against Palmeiras' Stamford Bridge-bound Estevao Willian, whose side defeated fellow Brazilian club Botafogo on Saturday.


Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'It's a joke' – Maresca unhappy at Benfica delay despite Chelsea win
Enzo Maresca labelled the decision to suspend Chelsea's Club World Cup last-16 tie with Benfica for two hours 'a joke' even as his side eventually ran out 4-1 winners. The tie took almost five hours to complete after the teams were forced inside, with the Blues 1-0 up with four minutes remaining thanks to Reece James' free-kick, due to 'the risk of lightning in the vicinity of Bank of America Stadium'. On the resumption, Angel Di Maria equalised with a controversial stoppage-time penalty to take the game to extra time, only for Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to seal Chelsea's win. Game started Saturday and ended Sunday 🤣 — Trevoh Chalobah (@TrevohChalobah) June 29, 2025 Maresca, in his press conference, said of the long delay: 'I think it's a joke, to be honest. 'It's not football, it's completely something new, I struggle to understand. 'I can understand if it's security reasons but if you suspend seven or eight games then it's probably not the right place to do the competition. 'It's not normal to suspend the game. In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Zero probably. In Europe how many games get suspended? Zero. 'We've been here two weeks and they've already suspended six or seven games, there is some problems for me personally. Meanwhile, in the dressing room. — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 28, 2025 'I'm talking as a manager because when you're two hours inside and you have to try to keep them (the players) in the game, they're speaking to their families outside for safety reasons, they're eating, they're playing, they're laughing, how can you keep them inside focused for two hours? It's a joke.' One of Maresca's players at least was able to make light of the delay, which saw the game finish at 1.40am UK time, with defender Trevoh Chalobah posting on social media: 'Game started Saturday and ended Sunday'. Players were pictured riding exercise bikes and kicking balls in the dressing room during the enforced break and Maresca told broadcaster DAZN: 'Especially when it's 85 minutes, five minutes to go, it's very difficult. 'But we tried to keep them in the best way we could in that moment and, at the end, we are in the last eight teams here in this competition and we are very happy.' Gianluca Prestianni saw red for Bruno Lage's men in extra time for a second yellow card as Chelsea booked their place against Palmeiras in the quarter-finals. The Blues could now come up against Palmeiras' Stamford Bridge-bound Estevao Willian, whose side defeated fellow Brazilian club Botafogo on Saturday.

Leader Live
a day ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
It's a joke – Enzo Maresca unhappy at long delay in Chelsea-Benfica tie
The tie took almost five hours to complete after the teams were forced inside, with the Blues 1-0 up with four minutes remaining thanks to Reece James' free-kick, due to 'the risk of lightning in the vicinity of Bank of America Stadium'. On the resumption, Angel Di Maria equalised with a controversial stoppage-time penalty to take the game to extra time, only for Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to seal Chelsea's win. Game started Saturday and ended Sunday 🤣 — Trevoh Chalobah (@TrevohChalobah) June 29, 2025 Maresca, in his press conference, said of the long delay: 'I think it's a joke, to be honest. 'It's not football, it's completely something new, I struggle to understand. 'I can understand if it's security reasons but if you suspend seven or eight games then it's probably not the right place to do the competition. 'It's not normal to suspend the game. In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Zero probably. In Europe how many games get suspended? Zero. 'We've been here two weeks and they've already suspended six or seven games, there is some problems for me personally. Meanwhile, in the dressing room. — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 28, 2025 'I'm talking as a manager because when you're two hours inside and you have to try to keep them (the players) in the game, they're speaking to their families outside for safety reasons, they're eating, they're playing, they're laughing, how can you keep them inside focused for two hours? It's a joke.' One of Maresca's players at least was able to make light of the delay, which saw the game finish at 1.40am UK time, with defender Trevoh Chalobah posting on social media: 'Game started Saturday and ended Sunday'. Players were pictured riding exercise bikes and kicking balls in the dressing room during the enforced break and Maresca told broadcaster DAZN: 'Especially when it's 85 minutes, five minutes to go, it's very difficult. 🚲⏳ — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 28, 2025 'But we tried to keep them in the best way we could in that moment and, at the end, we are in the last eight teams here in this competition and we are very happy.' Gianluca Prestianni saw red for Bruno Lage's men in extra time for a second yellow card as Chelsea booked their place against Palmeiras in the quarter-finals. The Blues could now come up against Palmeiras' Stamford Bridge-bound Estevao Willian, whose side defeated fellow Brazilian club Botafogo on Saturday.

Rhyl Journal
a day ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
It's a joke – Enzo Maresca unhappy at long delay in Chelsea-Benfica tie
The tie took almost five hours to complete after the teams were forced inside, with the Blues 1-0 up with four minutes remaining thanks to Reece James' free-kick, due to 'the risk of lightning in the vicinity of Bank of America Stadium'. On the resumption, Angel Di Maria equalised with a controversial stoppage-time penalty to take the game to extra time, only for Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to seal Chelsea's win. Game started Saturday and ended Sunday 🤣 — Trevoh Chalobah (@TrevohChalobah) June 29, 2025 Maresca, in his press conference, said of the long delay: 'I think it's a joke, to be honest. 'It's not football, it's completely something new, I struggle to understand. 'I can understand if it's security reasons but if you suspend seven or eight games then it's probably not the right place to do the competition. 'It's not normal to suspend the game. In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Zero probably. In Europe how many games get suspended? Zero. 'We've been here two weeks and they've already suspended six or seven games, there is some problems for me personally. Meanwhile, in the dressing room. — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 28, 2025 'I'm talking as a manager because when you're two hours inside and you have to try to keep them (the players) in the game, they're speaking to their families outside for safety reasons, they're eating, they're playing, they're laughing, how can you keep them inside focused for two hours? It's a joke.' One of Maresca's players at least was able to make light of the delay, which saw the game finish at 1.40am UK time, with defender Trevoh Chalobah posting on social media: 'Game started Saturday and ended Sunday'. Players were pictured riding exercise bikes and kicking balls in the dressing room during the enforced break and Maresca told broadcaster DAZN: 'Especially when it's 85 minutes, five minutes to go, it's very difficult. 🚲⏳ — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 28, 2025 'But we tried to keep them in the best way we could in that moment and, at the end, we are in the last eight teams here in this competition and we are very happy.' Gianluca Prestianni saw red for Bruno Lage's men in extra time for a second yellow card as Chelsea booked their place against Palmeiras in the quarter-finals. The Blues could now come up against Palmeiras' Stamford Bridge-bound Estevao Willian, whose side defeated fellow Brazilian club Botafogo on Saturday.