'It's a joke' - Enzo Maresca questions weather conditions after Chelsea's 4-1 win over SL Benfica

Overview

• Enzo Maresca was unhappy with the match between Chelsea FC and SL Benfica lasting for nearly 5 hours in the FIFA Club World Cup
• A thunderstorm interruption in the 86th minute meant Chelsea and Benfica had to wait for 2 hours
• During the long break, players rode exercise bikes and kicked Football in the dressing room to pass time

Enzo Maresca fumed at the match between Chelsea FC and SL Benfica lasting for nearly 5 hours in the FIFA Club World Cup. The Chelsea Manager was unhappy with the organizers not sensing the thunderstorm interruption prehand, which meant a delay of 2 hours in the 86th minute of the match. 

Players engaged themselves and passed time by riding exercise bikes and kicked Football in the dressing room. While Chelsea eventually beat Benfica 4-1 in the Round of 16 match, he claimed it to be joke and not for them. "I think it's a joke, to be honest. It's not football. It's not for us," said Enzo Maresca.

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"I'm very proud. The performance for me was top until the last five minutes when they stopped the game," Maresca was happy with his bous who gave their best till the last moment of the match. "How can you keep them two hours inside, focused?" asked the Chelsea manager as the players rode exercise bikes and kicked Football in the dressing room to pass time.

Chelsea FC beat SL Benfica 4-1 in the FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 encounter

When the thunderstorm appeared, the match was in balance at 1-1. There was a delay for 2 hours after the 86th minute of the match. Following the resumption, there was a red card for Benfica, which meant Prestianni's goal became null and void. After the full time, the score was 1-1, which meant the game moved to extra time.

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Chelsea's players brought their A game in the extra minutes, as they scored three goals and conceded none. Nkuku, Neto, and Dewsbury-Hall scored goals in the 109, 115, and 118th minutes of the match, which helped Chelsea to claim a huge win of 4-1 in the end to progress further in the tournament.