"This is a joke, not football!" Chelsea head coach slams US over Club World Cup organization

After the round of 16 clash between London’s Chelsea and Lisbon’s Benfica (4-1), the Blues’ head coach Enzo Maresca shared his thoughts on the match.

Details: Enzo Maresca questioned the choice of the United States as the host nation for the Club World Cup.

Chelsea advanced to the quarter-finals after overcoming Benfica in extra time, in a match that, due to a weather delay, became one of the longest in the tournament.

Before the forced break, Chelsea were in complete control, but just minutes after play resumed, they conceded a penalty that allowed Benfica to take the game to overtime. Maresca commented on the situation:

We didn’t let anything slip, we created enough chances to win the game, Maresca told reporters.

But then, after the break, the game changed completely. For me, personally, this is not football. That’s already seven, eight, nine games they’ve suspended. Honestly, I think it’s a joke, this isn’t football. This isn’t for us.

The head coach also weighed in on the safety protocols so frequently enforced at the Club World Cup:

It’s something completely new, but I’m really struggling to understand it. I get that for safety reasons you sometimes have to pause a game. But if you’re suspending seven or eight matches, maybe this isn’t the right place to hold the competition.\

Please, don’t get me wrong. I’ve said this is a fantastic competition. It’s the Club World Cup. It’s the top. We’re happy to be among the final eight. We’re happy to be winning games here.

But something’s going on—six, seven matches have been suspended. They need to find a reason, because suspending games like this is not normal. How many matches get stopped at the World Cup? Probably none. How many in Europe? None.

We’ve been here two weeks, and they’ve already interrupted six or seven games. For me, personally, that’s a problem..

But I’m speaking as a manager. Because when you’re stuck down there (in the tunnel) for two hours, you’re trying to keep the players in the game, but for those two hours they’re talking to family outside, eating something, playing, laughing. How can you keep them focused off the pitch for two hours? It’s a joke.

Reminder: Chelsea’s next game is scheduled for July 5. In the quarter-finals, the team will face Brazilian side Palmeiras.

See also: Chelsea in the Club World Cup quarter-finals! Benfica left empty-handed.