Enzo Maresca: “Honestly, it’s ridiculous. That’s not football. I don’t get it. If you stop a game for safety once, fine. But stopping seven or eight games? shall be this isn’t the g good place to hold the tournament.”
Sunday 29 June 2025, 10:07 UK
Maresca’s strong reaction
After Chelsea’s Club World Cup match against Benfica was delayed for two hours because of bad weather, manager Enzo Maresca said the USA might not be the best choice to host the event.
Maresca was upset as the game ended up taking nearly five hours to finish, calling the delay “a joke” and saying it wasn’t real football.
They were only minutes from victory after Reece James scored from a free-kick when the players were told to leave the field and fans had to clear the stands.
During the break session, players were warming up on exercise bikes and kicking balls around in the locker room.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca criticised the choice to delay the Club World Cup last-16 match against Benfica for two hours because of severe weather, calling it “a joke” and suggesting the US might not be the best place to host such tournaments.
The Italian coach described the situation as “not football” after his team eventually won 4-1 in extra time in Charlotte, with the match taking four hours and 39 minutes, finishing at 01:39 BST on Sunday.
This was already the sixth match in the tournament halted due to typical summer thunderstorms.
Players, staff and fans had to leave their seats and head indoors immediately once storms were detected within an eight-mile radius, in line with US safety rules.
Weather conditions will become a major topic of discussion for the Club World Cup, especially with the US set to co-host the 2026 World Cup. Moreover to thunderstorms, more heat has also affected games.
Maresca said.I think it’s a fun joke.
“That’s not football. It’s something completely different. I really can’t understand it.
I get stopping a match for safety, but if you end up suspending seven or eight games, then maybe this isn’t the right location for such competitions.
It’s unusual to halt matches. How many World Cup games get stopped? Probably none. In Europe, how many games are suspended? Zero.
We’ve been here two weeks and six or seven games have already been paused. Personally, I see it all problem.”
How Chelsea handled the long delay
Chelsea players Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill, and Tosin Adarabioyo were visibly angry when they were ordered off the field—especially since they were just five minutes from winning.
During the wait, players stayed in the operations and changing rooms, where they cycled on exercise bikes and did keep-ups to maintain their body temperature and avoid stiffness.
“We spent two hours inside. People were checking in with family to make sure they were safe, eating, laughing, chatting on their phones. That’s why I said it isn’t football.
For 85 minutes we were in control. We didn’t allow them anything, and we had enough chances to finish it. But after the delay, the match was changed completely.”
Reece James added:
“It really threw us off our rhythm. There were lots of substitutions, and we were just trying to stay warm. The weather was extremely hot and humid, which didn’t help.”
A senior Chelsea staff member admitted there was confusion, but also relief, once the match was finally over.
