In a move that has sent shockwaves through European football, Chelsea Football Club officially parted ways with head coach Enzo Maresca on January 1, 2026. Despite a tenure that delivered both the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup trophies, the Italian’s 18-month spell at Stamford Bridge ended abruptly following a complete breakdown in relations with the club’s hierarchy and a dismal run of domestic form. The primary catalyst for the split was a public “war of words” that began in mid-December.
After a victory over Everton, Maresca stunned reporters by claiming he had just experienced his “worst 48 hours” at the club, alleging that “many people” within the organization were not supporting him or the team. These cryptic comments infuriated the Chelsea board, who felt the manager was unnecessarily creating a culture of volatility. The tension escalated further when it emerged that Maresca had allegedly held exploratory talks with Manchester City as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola, a move the Chelsea leadership viewed as a major betrayal of their long-term project.
The breaking point occurred during a -2-2 draw against Bournemouth on December 30, where Maresca was loudly booed by the Stamford Bridge faithful for substituting star player Cole Palmer. This fan unrest was compounded by a poor run of results—just one win in seven Premier League matches—which saw the Blues drop to fifth place, 15 points adrift of leaders Arsenal. The board reportedly felt that the team’s habit of dropping points from winning positions was a direct result of Maresca’s rigid substitutions and “load management” strategies that often backfired.
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Finally, a fundamental disagreement over club structure sealed Maresca’s fate. The Italian tactician reportedly demanded more control over transfers and medical protocols, specifically clashing with the medical department over the return-to-play timelines for injury-prone stars like Reece James and Levi Colwill. Chelsea’s ownership, committed to a data-driven multi-club model, refused to grant him the “managerial power” he sought. With the team now searching for their fifth permanent manager in the Boehly-Clearlake era, Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior has emerged as the heavy favorite to take over and bring stability to the “BlueCo” project.
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