Chelsea and head coach Enzo Maresca have agreed to terminate their cooperation with immediate effect, ending the Italian’s 18-month tenure at the club.
Maresca, who guided Chelsea to two trophies – the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the Europa Conference League – leaves following a mid-season slump in results. The Blues have won just one of their past seven Premier League matches, prompting mounting tensions between the Italian coach and the club’s hierarchy.
Sources say Maresca’s public remark after the sole league victory over Everton, in which he described experiencing the “worst 48 hours” of his career and questioned the support he received, further strained relations. Chelsea staff reportedly struggled to interpret his comments, and Maresca did not provide clarification either publicly or privately.
The Italian coach, a former Leicester City manager, previously worked under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and is represented by super-agent Jorge Mendes, who has links to Chelsea director of football Hugo Viana. His name has been mentioned among potential successors for Guardiola should the Spaniard leave Manchester City in the future.
Chelsea’s board will now begin the search for a new head coach, with Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior among the leading candidates. An official statement from the club is expected shortly.
Maresca’s departure marks the fourth permanent managerial exit since the Clearlake Capital–Todd Boehly takeover in May 2022, following Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino.
Maresca’s Chelsea record:
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Games played: 92
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Games won: 55
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Games drawn: 16
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Games lost: 21
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Win percentage: 59.8% ✅
