Chelsea qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after beating Benfica 4-1 in an agonizing duel, interrupted for more than two hours by a thunderstorm. However, beyond the result, what grabbed the spotlight was coach Enzo Maresca's blunt criticism of the tournament's organization and the constant match suspensions due to weather conditions. "For 85 minutes, we were controlling the game, we didn't concede anything, and we created enough chances to win the match. And then, after the break, the game changed completely," he expressed, visibly frustrated, at a press conference. His team was winning 0-1 when the referee stopped the game in the 85th minute due to the threat of a storm.

The match resumed two hours later and, already in added time, Benfica tied with a penalty converted by Ángel Di María, forcing extra time.

“It’s not normal to suspend a match”: Maresca’s message to the organizers

The Italian coach went further in his statements and questioned the suitability of the venue for the Club World Cup, held in different cities in the United States. “Personally, for me, this isn't football. They've already suspended seven, eight, nine matches here. I think it's a joke, honestly... I find it hard to understand. I can accept it for safety reasons, but if you suspend so many matches, it probably means this isn't the right place to hold this competition.”

Maresca insisted that the tournament itself is “fantastic,” but warned of the negative impact of long interruptions on the dynamics of play.

“It's not the same match. It breaks the rhythm. In those two hours inside, the players spoke with their families, ate something, were laughing, talking on the phone... It's two hours!” he said, reflecting on how difficult it was to maintain the team's concentration.

Although he acknowledged that he doesn't have a clear solution, he was categorical in his message: “In a World Cup,How many games are being suspended? Probably zero. In Europe, how many are being suspended? Zero. We've been here for two weeks, and six games have already been suspended. It's a problem."