Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca called the two-hour weather delay that disrupted his team’s Club World Cup win over Benfica as a “joke” and “not football”. The Blues eventually defeated Benfica 4-1 in extra-time to reach the quarter-finals but the match took four hours and 39 minutes to complete after a storm warming in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Manager says US ‘not the right place’ to host Club World Cup after Chelsea beat Benfica 4-1 in extra time

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca has labelled the Club World Cup’s storm delays a “joke” and questioned whether some American cities are “the right place” to host games in a major tournament. Weather conditions in Charlotte forced a near-two-hour-delay to Chelsea’s round-of-16 clash with Benfica on Saturday evening before the Premier League team ran out 4-1 winners in extra time.