When asked how the one-hour-53-minute stoppage impacted Chelsea’s match against Benfica in the Club World Cup, Enzo Maresca’s response was: “This is not football.”
The manager seemed to question whether the US was a suitable host for Fifa competitions, like the Club World Cup, one year before the 2026 World Cup is hosted across North America.
Chelsea may have defeated Benfica 4-1 to qualify for the quarter-finals, but the match was the sixth to be suspended because of seasonal summer thunderstorms.
A near two-hour delay looked like it might cost Chelsea, who had not conceded a shot on target and went ahead through Reece James’s inventive free-kick, a match they looked set to win.
“For 85 minutes we were in control of the game. We didn’t concede anything; we created chances enough to win the game. And then after the break the game changed completely,” Maresca said while referring to a shift in momentum in which Angel di Maria equalised from the penalty spot.
“For me personally, it’s not football. You cannot be inside for two hours. It is something completely new. I can understand that for security reasons, you are to suspend the game. But if you suspend six, seven games that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition.”
Players, staff and supporters were immediately pulled indoors because of extreme weather, in this case because thunderstorms were detected within an eight-mile radius of the venue, in line with US safety regulations.
Chelsea regained control in extra time when Benfica youngster Gianluca Prestianni was sent off, allowing Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to ensure victory in a match that lasted four hours 38 minute from the opening to final whistle.
When asked to clarify where specifically his anger was aimed, Maresca added: “This is a fantastic competition. The Club World Cup is top; we are happy to be in the last eight.
“It’s not normal to suspend a game. In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Probably zero. In Europe, how many games? Zero.”
How Chelsea coped with the stoppage
Chelsea players Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill and Tosin Adarabioyo were furious when pulled off the pitch – as was Maresca – having been on course to win with only five minutes of normal time remaining.
After re-entering the operations and dressing room area, players took turns to cycle on exercise bikes to keep their muscles warm and did kick-ups to stay fresh at the Bank of America Stadium.
Maresca explained the mood and why it impacted performance, adding: “So two hours inside – people speak with the family outside [to check] if they were good with the security. People eating, laughing, talking on their mobiles. It was two hours. That’s why I said it’s not football.”
James added: “It was quite disruptive when you’re in the flow of the game. Lots of substitutions – trying to get warm and stay warm. It was difficult and the climate was very hot and humid.”
A senior Chelsea official admitted to confusion and relief around the senior staff after the match.
Is US in the summer suitable?
This was the second longest stoppage of the tournament, with Benfica having had another two-hour stoppage delaying the start of their match against Auckland City.
There have been six similar stoppages in five different cities, including Mamelodi Sundowns against Ulsan HD, which also happened in Orlando, because of heavy rain and storms.
And there were long pauses in the second half of Palmeiras v Al-Ahly in New Jersey (40 minutes), Salzburg v Pachuca in Cincinnati (90 minutes) and Boca Juniors v Auckland City in Nashville (50 minutes).
Chelsea are also one of many teams to fall victim to extreme heat. Maresca said it was “impossible” to conduct a normal training session at their previous base in Philadelphia.
Some of the best stadiums in the US and Canada have roofs, like Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but many do not.
Atlanta is the only ground selected with such a covered roof in the Club World Cup but further stadiums in Vancouver, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Toronto are covered for next summer’s World Cup.
However, that tournament has been expanded to 48 teams, meaning these events will likely happen next summer.
Possible solutions could include moving the World Cup to winter months, as Qatar did in 2022, but severe cold is also an issue in parts of the US and Canada.
Head of Fifa’s technical study group Arsene Wenger addressed stoppages from its base in Miami.
He said: “It’s not ideal, I agree, because you want the flow of the game from the first to the last minute but, as well, when you organise a competition you have [to put] security first.”
Fifa also issued a statement at the time of the incident which read: “Due to adverse weather conditions in Charlotte, including the risk of lightning in the vicinity of Bank of America Stadium, the Fifa Club World Cup match between SL Benfica and Chelsea FC has been suspended. Fifa will follow the established safety protocols, and the match will resume as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
Fifa was asked for a response to Maresca’s comments.