Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca criticized the stoppages of the Club World Championship matches due to weather conditions. This happened following the game in the round of 16 against Benfica (4:1).
Enzo MarescaThe match between Chelsea and Benfica lasted until the 86th minute, and with a score of 1:0 in favor of the London club, the game was interrupted due to rain and thunderstorms. The match could be resumed after two hours when the weather conditions became more favorable for play. In the end, Benfica managed to equalize in regular time after which the game went into extra time, during which the Londoners scored three more times — 4:1.
“We didn’t miss anything and created enough chances to win the game, but after the [two-hour] break the game completely changed. I think that personally for me this is not football. This is already seven, eight, nine games that they have stopped. I think it’s a joke, to be honest. This is not football. This is not for us.
This is absolutely something new, but I’m trying to understand that for safety reasons you have to stop the game. But if you stop seven, eight games, it means that this is probably not the best place to hold the competitions,” said Maresca.
After the victory over Benfica, Chelsea will face Brazilian Palmeiras in the quarter-finals. The match will take place on Saturday, July 5, at 04:00 Kyiv time.
