Chelsea boss Maresca questions U.S. as World Cup venue amid storm stoppages

CHARLOTTE: Despite Chelsea reached the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday with a 4 1 win over Benfica in the Bank of America Stadium in Cha...

CHARLOTTE: Despite Chelsea reached the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday with a 4-1 win over Benfica in the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca insisted it was "not football."

Maresca was furious that the match lasted for four hours and 38 minutes after U.S. safety regulations saw the two teams taken off the pitch and the game suspended for almost two hours due to a thunderstorm in the region.

The United States safety regulations mean sporting events have to be suspended if there is a thunderstorm within 13 kilometers of the venue. Chelsea-Benfica was the sixth game at the FIFA Club World Cup to be suspended because of this rule, prompting Maresca to issue his displeasure.

"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," complained the Italian.

"For me personally, it's not football. You cannot be inside for two hours. It is something completely new," said Maresca, who questioned whether the U.S. - along with Mexico and Canada - would make a suitable host for next summer's World Cup finals.