New Year’s Resolution: Sack the manager
Chelsea announced Enzo Maresca’s departure on January 1st – a first in Premier League history. He was reportedly in talks with Manchester City about potentially succeeding Pep Guardiola.
London. The new year has begun in turbulent fashion for Chelsea FC and coach Enzo Maresca. Instead of sending New Year’s greetings, the prominent London club issued a statement at midday on the first day of the year announcing Maresca’s departure. Such a dramatic start to the year has never shaken a Premier League club in the almost three-and-a-half decades since its inception. Under the heading “Enzo Maresca,” Chelsea stated succinctly and unmistakably that “a change will give the team the best chance to get the season back on track.”
Since the end of November, Maresca had only secured two wins in nine competitive matches, one of which was in the League Cup quarterfinals against third-tier Cardiff City. During this period, the title-chasing London club had fallen from second to fifth in the Premier League, with their gap to leaders Arsenal widening from six to a now seemingly insurmountable 15 points. Additionally, the club risks missing out on direct qualification for the Champions League round of 16.
Maresca’s situation worsened considerably following a disappointing 2-2 home draw against struggling Bournemouth just before the end of the year, a team that had been winless for two months. The Chelsea fans responded by booing their coach in the stadium. Maresca failed to provide an explanation for his team’s uninspiring performance after the match—he canceled both TV interviews and the press conference due to illness, despite having coached the entire game from the sidelines, occasionally wearing an open coat. Instead, his assistant Willy Caballero took over the media duties, emphasizing that Maresca had “not felt well over the past two days.” The Sun tabloid contradicted this account, stating that there were “no health issues.” It is suspected that Maresca had already anticipated his dismissal after the draw, as he had been embroiled in an open conflict with club executives Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali for weeks. Eghbali is backed by the U.S. private equity firm Clearlake, which owns 61.5 percent of the club’s shares.
Maresca, 45, had publicly aired his frustrations following a league victory against Everton. When asked about his player Malo Gusto, the coach responded with noticeable frustration and suddenly mentioned that “the last 48 hours had been the worst” since the club had signed him from then-promoted Leicester City for five years before the 2024/25 season. He cryptically cited that “many people” had “not supported” him and his team. Whether his criticism was aimed at the decision-makers remained unclear: “Generally, generally,” he said, offering only hints.
Tensions were reportedly heightened by Maresca’s exploratory talks with Premier League rivals Manchester City, which he is said to have informed Chelsea about. According to reports, Maresca spoke twice with City representatives in October and again after the Everton match about potentially succeeding Pep Guardiola should the latter step down next summer after ten years at City. Maresca dismissed the rumors as “100 percent speculation.” Guardiola has yet to make a definitive statement on his future beyond this season. His contract with City runs until 2027, but he has repeatedly hinted that his departure will come sooner or later. Maresca had served as Guardiola’s assistant during the 2022/23 season. How Boehly, Eghbali, and others at Chelsea interpreted these talks likely played a role in the timing of Maresca’s dismissal—just before Chelsea’s league match on Sunday night against Manchester City.
Furthermore, Maresca’s relationship with the club’s leadership had been marked by differing views on transfers, team selection, and personal appreciation. After winning the Conference League in the previous season and following up with a triumph at the Club World Cup, Maresca likely expected more influence. Despite these successes, however, it seems little had changed internally regarding his status. For example, he had unsuccessfully demanded a replacement for injured center-back Levi Colwill in the summer and recently criticized the team’s lack of experience in meeting the club’s high internal expectations. Chelsea has squandered 15 points from winning positions in the league, accumulated four red cards, and repeatedly struggled with player absences, such as the long-term injury absence of recently recovered playmaker Cole Palmer.
The strict sporting philosophy of the new owners, focusing almost exclusively on internationally renowned talent—Chelsea has no outfield player older than 28—has repeatedly encountered resistance from coaches. Maresca, like Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Mauricio Pochettino before him, had to adhere to this philosophy. All of them were aware of the club’s approach. During his one and a half years at Chelsea, Maresca visibly developed the young team and led the club back to winning titles, which brought him into the spotlight. He changed his advisory agency and planned to publish a book, but the club blocked both projects, as well as an appearance as a guest speaker at an event in his native Italy—though the coach still went ahead with it in the fall. There, he indirectly made pointed remarks about the club’s policy: Chelsea was a legendary club that now focused on young talent, but in the end, it was the results that mattered.
As for Maresca’s successor, Chelsea has yet to comment. Englishman Liam Rosenior, currently at partner club Racing Strasbourg, and Austrian Oliver Glasner, whose contract at Crystal Palace expires at the end of the season, are reportedly high on the list. For Enzo Maresca, however, the path is now clear for new opportunities, whether at Manchester City or elsewhere. Should an attractive option arise, the year that began so poorly for him may yet turn out to be a good one.