Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has hit out at the 113-minute lightning delay that disrupted his team’s Club World Cup clash against Benfica, calling the lengthy interruption “a joke” and “not football.”
Chelsea appeared to be in full control of their last-16 encounter in Charlotte, leading 1-0 through a sensational Reece James free-kick in the 64th minute. However, with just minutes left in regulation time, match officials suspended the game due to lightning in the surrounding area — a safety measure common in U.S.-based sporting events.
The delay stretched to nearly two hours, during which players and fans were left in limbo. When play eventually resumed, Chelsea’s rhythm had been broken. Malo Gusto was controversially penalized for handball, and Angel Di Maria coolly converted the 95th-minute penalty to level the score and force extra time.
But Chelsea bounced back in extra time, helped by the sending off of Gianluca Prestianni just two minutes in. With the numerical advantage, the Blues surged to victory through goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, sealing a 4-1 win and a place in the quarter-finals.
Speaking after the match, Maresca voiced his frustration with how the delay altered the game’s flow “For 85 minutes we were in control. Then after the break, the game changed completely,” he said.
“For me, it’s not football. You cannot be inside [the dressing room] for two hours. I understand suspending the game for safety, but if six or seven games are being delayed like this, maybe this isn’t the right place for the competition.”
He continued: “It’s a fantastic tournament, and we’re happy to be in the last eight. But you don’t suspend games at the World Cup or in Europe. This isn’t normal.”
Chelsea now prepare for a quarter-final showdown with Palmeiras, who also went to extra time in their own last-16 clash against Botafogo. That game is set for early Saturday morning (2am BST
However, Maresca will be without Moises Caicedo, who is suspended after accumulating two yellow cards, and Benoit Badiashile, who picked up an injury during the Benfica match.