Enzo Maresca (45), Chelsea's manager, expressed his dissatisfaction with the ongoing weather delays.

Chelsea, led by Maresca, won 4-1 against Benfica (Portugal) in the round of 16 of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, USA, on the 29th (Korean time) after an extra-time battle.

Thus, Chelsea, which has reached the quarterfinals, will compete against Palmeiras (Brazil) in Philadelphia, USA, on July 5 for a chance to advance to the semifinals.

However, the match faced the second-longest weather delay in Club World Cup history, causing issues. Chelsea, which was leading with a free-kick goal by Reece James in the 64th minute, had to play nearly 4 hours and 40 minutes after the kick-off during a suspension due to a thunderstorm in the 86th minute.

The match resumed, but most of the 25,929 fans who attended had already left. The players were also in a situation where they had to wait indefinitely for a resumption.

Eventually, the match resumed, but Benfica advanced to extra time with a penalty goal by Ángel Di María during the added time. In extra time, Benfica's Gianluca Prestiani was sent off, leading to consecutive goals by Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kieran Dewsbury-Hall, solidifying the victory.

According to the sports specialized 'ESPN', after the match, Maresca said, "There were no goals conceded, and we created enough chances to win. However, the game changed completely after the delay. Personally, I don’t consider this to be football."

He added, "If there were disruptions in 7 to 9 matches, honestly, this is absurd. This is not football," and pointed out the issues with the management of the match, expressing his anger by stating, "It could mean this place is not suitable for hosting this tournament."

In fact, this match delay was not the first occurrence in this tournament. It was already the sixth time. Maresca emphasized, "We did not concede any goals and created enough chances to win."

Maresca said, "However, the situation changed completely after the game was suspended. Personally, I don’t think this is what football is about," while stating, "There have been about 7 to 9 matches that already experienced delays. Honestly, I think this is a joke."

He also raised his voice saying, "This is not football. It does not suit teams like ours at all. We cannot be trapped in the stadium for that long. This is a completely new situation, and I find it hard to understand."

Maresca noted, "But if 7 to 8 matches are suspended, that could mean this place is not suitable for hosting this tournament," expressing dissatisfaction over the selection of the host country.

Maresca emphasized, "Please do not misunderstand. This tournament is fantastic. The Club World Cup is the best. I am happy to reach the quarterfinals and satisfied with winning all of this," but he also said, "However, something is strange. If 6 to 7 matches have been delayed, someone has to explain the reason."

In particular, he added, "It is not normal to suspend matches. How many matches are suspended in the World Cup? Probably 0." and questioned, "In Europe? Again, 0."

"It has been less than two weeks since I arrived here, but already 6 to 7 matches have been suspended. Personally, I view this as a serious issue," said Maresca, explaining, "From a coach's perspective, when players have to wait for 2 hours, I try to keep them focused on the game, but the reality is different."

He said, "Players are calling their families, eating, playing, and laughing. How can they maintain focus in such a situation?" and continued, "Of course, we are happy to be here and thrilled to participate in this tournament. But this is not a normal situation."

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