Enzo Maresca leaves Chelsea after just 18 months as manager

Maresca exits the nine midway done a turbulent play with the squad winning conscionable 1 Premier League crippled successful December.

Chelsea person parted ways with ‌Enzo Maresca, a melodramatic autumn from grace for the Italian who was named ‍Manager of the Month ‍for November earlier the nine won conscionable 1 of their past 7 league games, causing them to autumn retired of the Premier League rubric race.

“Chelsea Football Club and caput manager Enzo Maresca person parted company,” the nine said successful a connection connected Thursday.

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Maresca, who joined Chelsea successful 2024 aft steering Leicester City to Premier League promotion, leaves 18 months to the time since helium was ⁠tasked with reviving the club’s fortunes aft 2 years of failing to suffice for the Champions League.

He yet ​guided the London broadside to UEFA Champions League qualification with a fourth-placed finish, the Conference ‍League trophy and the Club World Cup rubric successful his archetypal play with a young but expensively built squad.

Poor tally of form

However, a mediocre tally of signifier successful December and an uncharacteristic outburst from the Italian prompted the nine hierarchy to instrumentality ‍action and portion ⁠ways with the 45-year-old manager.

“With cardinal objectives inactive to play for crossed 4 competitions including qualification for Champions League football, Enzo and the nine judge a alteration gives the squad the champion accidental of getting the play backmost connected track,” the Chelsea connection said.

Chelsea were arsenic precocious arsenic 3rd successful November and were among the rubric contenders, precocious connected assurance aft they had besides crushed Barcelona 3-0 successful ​the Champions League astatine Stamford Bridge.

But they person since slipped to 5th successful ‌the league to beryllium 15 points down leaders Arsenal astatine the halfway signifier of the season.

Chelsea prima Cole Palmer shakes hands with Maresca, left, aft being substituted during what turned retired to beryllium the Italian’s past lucifer successful complaint of the nine against Bournemouth astatine Stamford Bridge, London, UK, connected December 30, 2025 [Andrew Boyers/Action Images via Reuters]

‘Worst 48 hours’

Last month, Maresca voiced vexation implicit issues down the scenes, saying helium felt helium had a deficiency of enactment from the club, describing a play ‌after a 2-0 triumph implicit Everton arsenic “the worst 48 hours” of his tenure.

The Italian did not clarify what helium meant by the comment, but the harm ‌seemed to person been done arsenic Chelsea’s league signifier nosedived.

Although Chelsea ⁠beat Cardiff City to scope the League Cup semifinals, they picked up lone 2 points successful their past 3 Premier League games.

Off the pitch, determination was besides the unwelcome distraction of rubbishing links to the Manchester City occupation arsenic Maresca pointed retired that helium was committed ‌to Chelsea, wherever helium had a declaration until 2029.

But Tuesday’s 2-2 location gully with Bournemouth – wherever fans chanted, “You don’t cognize what you’re doing” erstwhile helium substituted playmaker Cole Palmer portion they besides booed astatine the last whistle – proved to beryllium his last lucifer successful charge.

The nine did not accidental who would instrumentality complaint earlier Sunday’s lucifer against second-placed Manchester City.