Rome (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Enzo Maresca leaves Chelsea after 18 months at Stamford Bridge, with the club fifth in the Premier League, and a replacement is expected soon.
As reported by Nizaar Kinsella of the BBC, Enzo Maresca has left as Chelsea’s head coach after a breakdown in relations with the club’s board, leading to a mutual parting of ways.
What led to Enzo Maresca leaving Chelsea after 18 months?
Enzo Maresca exits Chelsea with the club fifth in the Premier League, 15 points behind leaders Arsenal, after winning just one of their last seven league matches.
Chelsea seemed ready to give Maresca time to turn things around, but the past 24 hours sped up his departure. Off-field behavior became a bigger concern than on-field results. Tensions had been building since Maresca called the days after Chelsea’s 13 December win over Everton his “worst 48 hours” at the club.
A replacement for Chelsea’s head coach is expected to be announced shortly, with Liam Rosenior reportedly among a small group of candidates under consideration.
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.”
It added,
“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 last match ended in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday, and amid reports of behind-the-scenes tension, he did not attend the post-match news conference, with illness cited as the reason.
Reports suggested that Maresca could replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, but the Italian rejected the claim as “100 per cent speculation.”
After Chelsea’s 3-0 victory over Barcelona in November, Maresca’s reputation soared, with the team just three points off the top, but a slump of one win in seven Premier League games, along with poor performances against Aston Villa and Bournemouth, increased pressure on the Italian.
According to Maresca, the pressure at Chelsea was excessive, pointing out difficult working conditions and interference in team decisions, while injuries to Colwill and Cole Palmer complicated matters.
How many Premier League games did Chelsea win under Enzo Maresca?
Chelsea ended the 2024/25 season fifth in the Premier League under Enzo Maresca, finishing with 20 wins, 9 draws, and 9 losses from 38 league matches.
In the 2025/26 Premier League season, Maresca was dismissed midway through the campaign. At the time, Chelsea had played 19 games, securing 9 wins, 4 draws, and suffering 6 defeats.
During his spell at Stamford Bridge, Maresca led Chelsea to 29 Premier League wins, 20 in his first season and 9 in the following campaign.
What fixtures does Chelsea have lined up for January 2026?
- Sunday, January 4: Man City (A) – Premier League, 5:30 pm
- Wednesday, January 7: Fulham (A) – Premier League, 7:30 pm
- Saturday, January 10: Charlton (A) – FA Cup, 8:00 pm
- Wednesday, January 14: Arsenal (H) – Carabao Cup, 8:00 pm
- Saturday, January 17: Brentford (H) – Premier League, 3:00 pm
- Wednesday, January 21: Pafos (H) – Champions League, 8:00 pm
- Sunday, January 25: Crystal Palace (A) – Premier League, 2:00 pm
- Wednesday, January 28: Napoli (A) – Champions League, 8:00 pm
- Saturday, January 31: West Ham (H) – Premier League, 5:30 pm