Maresca left the club midway through a tumultuous season, with the team winning just one Premier League match in December.
Published January 1, 2026
Chelsea have parted ways with manager Enzo Maresca, a dramatic fall from grace for the Italian who was named manager of the month in November, with the club having won just one of their last seven league games and eliminated from the Premier League title race.
“Chelsea Football Club and head coach Enzo Maresca have parted ways,” the club announced in a statement on Thursday.
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Maresca, who joined Chelsea in 2024 after leading Leicester City to promotion to the Premier League, is 18 months away from being tasked with rebuilding the club’s fortunes after two years without Champions League qualification.
He ultimately led the London outfit to a fourth-place finish, qualification for the UEFA Champions League, the Conference League trophy and the Club World Cup title in his first season with a young but expensively constructed side.
Poor form movement
However, a poor performance in December and abusive language uncharacteristic of an Italian player prompted club executives to take action and part ways with the 45-year-old manager.
“With important objectives remaining in four competitions, including Champions League qualification, Enzo and the club believe the changes give the team the best chance of getting the season back on track,” Chelsea said in a statement.
Chelsea moved into third place in November and became one of the title favorites, boosted by their 3-0 victory over Barcelona in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge.
However, they have since fallen to fifth place in the league, 15 points behind leaders Arsenal at the midway point of the season.
“The worst 48 hours”
Last month, Maresca voiced his frustration over behind-the-scenes problems, saying he felt there was a lack of support from the club and describing the period following the 2-0 win against Everton as the “worst 48 hours” of his tenure.
The Italian did not clarify the meaning of his comments, but they appear to have been damaged by Chelsea’s plummeting league results.
Chelsea beat Cardiff City to reach the League Cup semi-finals, but have only picked up two points from their last three Premier League games.
Off the pitch, there was also the unwanted distraction of touting links with the Manchester City job, as Maresca pointed out that he is committed to Chelsea, where he is under contract until 2029.
But Tuesday’s 2-2 home win against Bournemouth – where fans chanted “I don’t know what I’m doing” when he substituted playmaker Cole Palmer and there were boos at the final whistle – was his last game.
The club did not confirm who would be in charge ahead of Sunday’s game against second-placed Manchester City.
