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Chelsea have sacked head coach Enzo Maresca following decisive talks held on New Year’s Day, just days before their Premier League clash with Manchester City.
The club confirmed the decision after emergency discussions, triggered by a breakdown in relations between Maresca and the club’s hierarchy.
Tensions had spilt into public view on Tuesday when sections of Chelsea supporters jeered the Italian for substituting Cole Palmer in the 63rd minute of the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, chanting that he did not know what he was doing.
As a result, Maresca will not take charge of Sunday’s trip to the Etihad Stadium.
The 45-year-old had been linked with a possible return to Manchester City should Pep Guardiola leave in the summer, speculation that grew after he unsettled club officials with remarks about his “worst 48 hours” before declining to clarify them.
The City fixture was due to begin a demanding January run of nine matches for Chelsea, but focus has now shifted to appointing a new head coach.
Maresca joined Chelsea in the summer of 2024 after guiding Leicester City to the Championship title and promotion. In his first season at Stamford Bridge, he secured a fourth-place finish, qualification for the Champions League, and lifted the UEFA Conference League.
However, after a promising start to his second campaign, Chelsea’s form declined sharply. The draw with Bournemouth took their tally of points dropped from winning positions to 15 — the highest in the league. The slump pushed the Blues out of the title race and down to fifth, closer to 17th-placed Nottingham Forest than leaders Arsenal.
Although the club previously backed Maresca during a similar downturn, his ambiguous press conference comments reportedly alarmed senior figures, who believe the squad is strong enough to finish in the top four.
Signs of strain became clearer after December’s 2-0 win over Everton, when Maresca criticised unnamed “people” despite praising supporters. His comments intensified scrutiny and concern within the club.
Chelsea’s owners, BlueCo, led by Todd Boehly, have begun the search for a replacement.
In a statement, the club said Maresca’s successes in the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup would remain part of Chelsea’s recent history, adding that both parties agreed a change would give the team the best chance of reviving their season.
