Chelsea have announced that head coach Enzo Maresca has left the club by mutual agreement, with the club stating the decision was made to 'give the team the best chance of getting the season back on track'. The Italian departs after 18 months in charge, having overseen a decline in Premier League form that saw the team win just one of their last seven league matches, dropping out of the Champions League places.
In a statement, Chelsea acknowledged Maresca's achievements, including winning 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,' the statement read. The club added that with 'key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football', a change was deemed necessary.
Maresca becomes the fourth manager to depart under the ownership led by Todd Boehly, following Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino. His final match was a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. Reports suggest Liam Rosenior, currently managing Strasbourg – a club under the same ownership group – is the leading candidate to replace him.
The 45-year-old had hinted at internal friction earlier in the season, describing the build-up to a December victory over Everton as 'the worst 48 hours since I joined the club' because 'people didn't support me and the team'. He later clarified that his comments were not directed at fans but declined to provide further specifics.
