Maresca exits the membership halfway via a turbulent season with the staff profitable only one Premier League sport in December.
Revealed On 1 Jan 2026
Chelsea have parted methods with Enzo Maresca, a dramatic fall from grace for the Italian who was named Supervisor of the Month for November earlier than the membership gained simply one among their final seven league video games, inflicting them to fall out of the Premier League title race.
“Chelsea Soccer Membership and head coach Enzo Maresca have parted firm,” the membership mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
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Maresca, who joined Chelsea in 2024 after steering Leicester Metropolis to Premier League promotion, leaves 18 months to the day since he was tasked with reviving the membership’s fortunes after two years of failing to qualify for the Champions League.
He ultimately guided the London facet to UEFA Champions League qualification with a fourth-placed end, the Convention League trophy and the Membership World Cup title in his first season with a younger however expensively constructed squad.
Poor run of type
Nevertheless, a poor run of type in December and an uncharacteristic outburst from the Italian prompted the membership hierarchy to take motion and half methods with the 45-year-old supervisor.
“With key aims nonetheless to play for throughout 4 competitions together with qualification for Champions League soccer, Enzo and the membership consider a change provides the staff the perfect likelihood of getting the season again on observe,” the Chelsea assertion mentioned.
Chelsea have been as excessive as third in November and have been among the many title contenders, excessive on confidence after they’d additionally crushed Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge.
However they’ve since slipped to fifth in the league to sit down 15 factors behind leaders Arsenal on the midway stage of the season.
‘Worst 48 hours’
Final month, Maresca voiced frustration over points behind the scenes, saying he felt he had an absence of help from the membership, describing a interval after a 2-0 win over Everton as “the worst 48 hours” of his tenure.
The Italian didn’t make clear what he meant by the remark, however the injury appeared to have been performed as Chelsea’s league type nosedived.
Though Chelsea beat Cardiff Metropolis to succeed in the League Cup semifinals, they picked up solely two factors of their final three Premier League video games.
Off the pitch, there was additionally the unwelcome distraction of rubbishing hyperlinks to the Manchester Metropolis job as Maresca identified that he was dedicated to Chelsea, the place he had a contract till 2029.
However Tuesday’s 2-2 residence draw with Bournemouth – the place followers chanted, “You don’t know what you’re doing” when he substituted playmaker Cole Palmer whereas in addition they booed on the remaining whistle – proved to be his remaining match in cost.
The membership didn’t say who would take cost earlier than Sunday’s match towards second-placed Manchester Metropolis.
