Enzo Maresca is fired by Chelsea after poor results and talks with Manchester City

Chelsea officially confirmed the termination of coach Enzo Maresca’s contract on January 1, 2026, ending an 18-month spell at the helm of the club. The board’s decision was motivated by a combination of factors, including a sharp drop in the team’s performance at the end of 2025 and significant disagreements over the management of the squad and the sporting strategy adopted by the Italian coach.

Despite having won important titles such as Conference League and Mundial from Clubes, the pressure on Maresca became unsustainable. At the time of his departure, the team was in fifth place in the Premier League, but the recent performance was alarming, with only one victory recorded in the last seven league matches, which raised a warning signal at the top of the London club.

The official statement from Chelsea thanked him for the services provided and the trophies, but internal sources reveal an accelerated deterioration in the relationship between the coach and the board. Maresca, who still had three and a half years left on his contract, saw his authority questioned in meetings that culminated in the unanimous decision for his dismissal, aiming for an immediate change of direction for the 2025/2026 season.

The trigger for the internal crisis

The relationship between Enzo Maresca and the Chelsea board deteriorated rapidly due to conflicts over player management. The coach was heavily criticized internally for ignoring recommendations from the medical department, especially in the case of captain Essa stance generated friction and forced the club to impose restrictions on training to protect other athletes. Além In addition, Maresca’s reluctance to use young talents from the squad, such as Andrey Santos, Jorrel Hato and the promise

The negative sequence that sealed fate

The performance of Chelsea at the end of 2025 was a determining factor in the exit of Maresca. The team faced a period of great instability, achieving just one victory in the last seven games of the Premier League and only two victories in nine matches, considering all competitions. Resultados and the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, on January 1st, symbolized the team’s difficulty in maintaining consistency and obtaining victories, even against theoretically weaker opponents. The drop in performance coincided with the loss of 15 points in relation to the competition leaders, undermining confidence in the coach’s work.

The results crisis was worsened by the absence of crucial players. The absence of Cole Palmer for almost three months, due to a groin injury, deprived the team of its main offensive coordinator. Somou This includes the recovery of Levi Colwill, who has been sidelined since August with a cruciate ligament injury, and the intermittent absences of Embora the club is still in contention for a place in the round of 16 of the Champions League, its performance in the domestic league, with five points less than in the same period of the previous season, was considered unacceptable by the board.

Conversations with rivals generated distrust

An element that increased the mistrust of the Chelsea board was the movement of Enzo Maresca behind the scenes. In October 2025, the coach changed representatives, becoming managed by Jorge Mendes, a change that coincided with the beginning of conversations about a possible succession of Pep Guardiola in Manchester City in 2027.

These approaches, which occurred on at least two separate occasions, were seen by Chelsea as a demonstration of a lack of commitment to the club’s project. The internal discomfort grew, raising doubts about where the Italian coach’s focus was at a time of instability for the team.

In addition to the interest of City, a survey of Juventus was also registered, although without a formal hiring proposal. Esses external contacts were the last straw for the board, which was already dissatisfied with the results and management of the cast, accelerating the evaluation process that led to his dismissal.

How the cast took the news

Chelsea players were informed about Enzo Maresca’s dismissal through a message sent while they were undergoing a physical recovery session. The news generated mixed reactions in the locker room. Part of the squad, especially the more experienced players, saw the coach as a figure who brought stability after a turbulent period, crediting him with recent achievements.

On the other hand, some athletes expressed frustration with the excessive rotation policy implemented by Maresca, which, according to them, made it difficult to maintain the pace of the game and tactical confidence. The constant change of coaches since 2022, however, is a general concern, with fears that a new change could generate further disruption in the work environment.

Maresca’s last days in command

The downfall of Enzo Maresca was quick and surprising, especially after a period of apparent tranquility. In November 2025, he was named Premier League coach of the month, capping a run of good results that included important wins over Barcelona and Arsenal in December, sparking optimism.

However, the 2-1 defeat to Atalanta, on December 9, was the turning point, marking the beginning of the crisis. Embora received a vote of confidence from the board after a victory over Everton, Maresca publicly complained about the lack of support, describing the following 48 hours as the worst of his career.

Tensions came to a head on December 31, when his agent, Jorge Mendes, met with the Chelsea board to discuss the situation. The decision to leave was made at a meeting the following morning, being formalized at 12:15 GMT on January 1st.

The formalization of the dismissal occurred so abruptly that assistant Willy Caballero was the one who conducted the pre-game press conference, taking everyone by surprise and highlighting how quickly the situation deteriorated behind the scenes at the club.

The future of Chelsea technical command

With the departure of Enzo Maresca, the Chelsea board acts quickly to find a replacement and minimize impacts at a crucial stage of the season, with nine games scheduled for January in four different competitions. The name of Liam Rosenior, current coach of Strasbourg, a club that also belongs to the same owners, appears as the main candidate to take over the position.

The club seeks a profile that aligns with strategic guidelines, which include respect for the guidelines of the medical department and a clear commitment to the development of young talents from the base. The priority is to ensure qualification for Champions League and keep the team competitive in the fight for titles, restoring stability and form as quickly as possible.

Review of your time at the club

Enzo Maresca leaves Chelsea with a legacy of achievements, but also of instability. In 92 games in charge, the Italian recorded 55 victories, leading the team to the Conference League and Mundial of Clubes titles. Sua passage was marked by a solid performance in the previous season, with fourth place in Premier League, but the abrupt drop in performance in the current campaign sealed its fate early.