Chelsea Football Club has formally announced the departure of head coach Enzo Maresca after just 18 months at the helm. The decision, confirmed by the club on Thursday, severs ties with the Italian manager during a challenging period in their Premier League campaign.
The club’s official statement cited a mutual agreement to part ways, emphasizing the need for a strategic shift to salvage the remainder of the season. Currently positioned fifth in the league standings, Chelsea finds itself trailing a staggering 15 points behind arch-rivals Arsenal, having secured only one victory in their last seven domestic matches.
Mounting speculation regarding Maresca’s future intensified throughout Chelsea’s recent performance slump, compounded by reports of deteriorating relations between the coach and the club’s leadership. The situation reached a critical point following Tuesday’s tumultuous 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, after which Maresca notably abstained from the customary post-match press conference, with officials attributing his absence to illness.
Maresca’s tenure, which began with considerable promise, saw the club capture both the Europa Conference League and Club World Cup titles in 2025 while successfully securing qualification for the prestigious Champions League. However, the coach had previously voiced frustrations regarding perceived lack of support from within the organization, particularly referencing what he described as “the worst 48 hours” of his Chelsea experience preceding December’s victory over Everton.
The separation concludes a contract originally set to extend until summer 2029, featuring an optional additional year at the club’s discretion. Chelsea’s leadership now faces the urgent task of identifying a successor capable of revitalizing their campaign across four ongoing competitions, with Champions League qualification remaining a paramount objective.