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Enzo Maresca: Chelsea head coach leaves Stamford Bridge | Replacement set to be announced imminently | Football News
Enzo Maresca has left his role as Chelsea head coach after 18 months in charge at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian departs with the club fifth in the Premier League table – 15 points adrift of leaders Arsenal – following one win from their last seven top-flight games.
Chelsea expect to announce a new head coach in a matter of days, with Liam Rosenior understood to be one of a handful of candidates who will be considered as a replacement.
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Chelsea said in a statement: “Chelsea Football Club and head coach Enzo Maresca have parted company.
“During his time at the club, Enzo led the team to success in the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup. Those achievements will remain an important part of the club’s recent history, and we thank him for his contributions to the club.
Permanent Chelsea managers under Todd Boehly
“With key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football, Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track.
“We wish Enzo well for the future.”
Maresca’s final match was Tuesday evening’s 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth and amid reports of tension behind the scenes, the Italian refused to hold his post-match news conference, albeit his absence was attributed to illness.
Chelsea return to action on Sunday away to Manchester City, the first of nine fixtures across four competitions during a packed January schedule.
‘Painted as mutual decision’
Latest from Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol:
“It has been painted as a mutual decision.
“It is very rare for managers or head coaches to resign because typically they don’t get a payoff, but Maresca is someone who is very proud. I think he feels that he could not carry on working at Chelsea.
Key figures at Chelsea under Todd Boehly
“At the same time, Chelsea felt that now was the right time for a change.”
Why has Maresca left Chelsea?
Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol:
“The first reason? Results. They simply have not been good enough. Chelsea have won only one of their past seven Premier League games and they have dropped 20 points from winning positions in the league and Champions League this season.
“The second reason is because I believe there have been disagreements behind the scenes about return-to-play protocols for injured players. Chelsea have an independent medical department who have the final say. From Chelsea’s point of view, their head coach will never have the final say when it comes to that.
“Another reason, from Chelsea’s perspective I think, is Maresca being linked with other jobs like Juventus and Manchester City. There may have been a sense from inside the club that these links were a distraction and coincided with a dip in form and results.
“There have been clues that not all has been well behind the scenes, such as Tuesday night when Maresca did not hold a post-match press conference after the draw with Bournemouth because, we were told, he was ill.
“It has added to a sense of volatility at the club but the sense is that things have not been right at the club for some time.”
Who next for Chelsea?
Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol:
“My information is that Chelsea will appoint a new permanent head coach in a matter of days.
“We don’t yet know who will be in charge against Manchester City on Sunday but I’m being told that this appointment will not take weeks.
Sunday 4th January 5:00pm
Kick off 5:30pm
“There is expectation around Liam Rosenior. Would Chelsea be worried that he is inexperienced? His only managerial experience in English football has been at Hull City. But I was told: ‘Look at Enzo Maresca.’
“There is a feeling at Chelsea that it wouldn’t be that much of a risk to turn to Rosenior, but of course it would be a massive step up for him, to go from Strasbourg in Ligue 1 to managing one of the biggest clubs in the world.
“Rosenior, however, is just one of the candidates.”
Strained relations, poor results and cryptic comments
Maresca joined Chelsea in June 2024 and won the Club World Cup and Conference League, as well as achieving a fourth-placed Premier League finish last season to secure Champions League qualification.
But relations have been strained between Maresca and key figures at the club going back to this time last year.
Missing his post-match press conference after a chaotic 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday was another sign of the problems behind the scenes, even though his absence was attributed to illness.
The Italian stood by the comments he made on December 13 when he claimed that many people at the club were not supporting him or the team.
He described the days leading up to the 2-0 victory over Everton as “the worst 48 hours” of his time at the club.
A few days after his comments, reports emerged that Maresca could replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City – links which Maresca described as “100 per cent speculation”.
Maresca’s stock was high after Chelsea beat Barcelona 3-0 in November and sat three points off the top of the table, but Chelsea have dropped off the Premier League pace with just one win in seven league games. Two more dispiriting and lacklustre performances at Stamford Bridge against Aston Villa and Bournemouth over the holiday period increased the pressure.
Maresca, who served as an assistant to Guardiola, was appointed Chelsea head coach in June 2024 on a five-year contract, replacing Mauricio Pochettino. He had left the Etihad to join Leicester in 2023, where he won the Championship title.
Maresca’s exit means Chelsea are looking for a fourth permanent managerial appointment since American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital bought the club in May 2022.
Maresca’s successor takes over a side that are fighting on four fronts.
Chelsea sit fifth in the Premier League, are on course for Champions League knockout qualification, have an FA Cup third-round tie at Charlton this month and face a two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal, live on Sky Sports.
Analysis: Maresca and Chelsea have not taken chance to kick on
Sky Sports’ Ron Walker:
“At the end of last season it felt as though there was a chance to build something, as Enzo Maresca led a young Chelsea squad back to the Champions League, then the Conference League and Club World Cup titles.
“How much of that progress has been made six months on? Judging by the boos during and after the Blues’ latest poor result against Bournemouth, not a great deal.
“Looking at the Premier League table, this seems a harsh assessment, with Chelsea well in the mix for a Champions League spot.
“But much like when Frank Lampard became the final managerial casualty of the Roman Abramovich era, it is the direction of travel which is the problem. At the midway point of 2025/26 they are five points worse off than at this point last year and drifting.
“Maresca finds himself held responsible for most, though not all of the underlying issues. Over-rotation has been a long-term bugbear – Chelsea have made 55 line-up changes this season, with rock-bottom Wolves the only other side with more than 50.
“Not all of that is due to his own faults. The squad remains woefully short of strength in depth in certain areas, and short of experience almost throughout – the starting line-up against Bournemouth was the youngest named in any Premier League match this season.
“Maresca was rightly lauded for his tactics to win the Club World Cup in the summer, but little progress has been made on that front more widely. He has referred to himself as a big-game manager – and victories against Liverpool and Barcelona at Stamford Bridge this season, plus a creditable 10-man draw with Arsenal, are fair testament.
“But this run of seven points from 21 has included a defeat to Leeds and four points dropped against a Bournemouth side winless in nine. It would likely have also counted a loss at Newcastle had Trevoh Chalobah been penalised for what appeared a blatant penalty.
“There have been moments where a connection looked to be building between Maresca and the fanbase. The two trophies last season and the jubilant scenes after the win at Tottenham earlier this season spring to mind.
“But prickly comments in public have not helped create the us-against-the-world mindset these fans have felt under Jose Mourinho, Thomas Tuchel and even Frank Lampard in the last two decades. And ultimately, results are the cold hard currency that buys coaches time at Chelsea.”
Chelsea’s January fixtures
- Sunday January 4: Man City (A) – Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm (live on Sky Sports)
- Wednesday January 7: Fulham (A) – Premier League, kick-off 7.30pm (live on Sky Sports)
- Saturday January 10: Charlton (A) – FA Cup, kick-off 8pm (live on Sky Sports)
- Wednesday January 14: Arsenal (H) – Carabao Cup, kick-off 8pm (live on Sky Sports)
- Saturday January 17: Brentford (H) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
- Wednesday January 21: Pafos (H) – Champions League, kick-off 8pm
- Sunday January 25: Crystal Palace (A) – Premier League, kick-off 2pm (live on Sky Sports)
- Wednesday January 28: Napoli (A) – Champions League, kick-off 8pm
- Saturday January 31: West Ham (H) – Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm (live on Sky Sports)
