Chelsea board loses confidence in Enzo Maresca’s direction
Enzo Maresca tenure at Chelsea is already on a knife edge. The Italian coach, appointed in the summer of 2024, is already under pressure after unconvincing displays that have left board members questioning their managerial gamble.
The club believed Maresca’s tactical experience under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City would launch a new and progressive era at Stamford Bridge. But the results have not shown the optimism. He was seen as a long-term project manager, a man who could one day modernize Chelsea, transform it and rebuild its identity after it had been torn apart by a series of appointees and departures. But the results have not shown the optimism.
Chelsea are just a mid-table team with 3 wins out of 10 league games in 2025/26. Crucial defeats, no clear attacking threat, and defensive softness have led to a rekindling of internal frustrations. The Blues have been slow going through the gears and although they have had majority of the ball in games, they have failed to unlock their opponents. With this tactical standstill, complaints on team selection as well, some senior figures are starting to question whether Maresca’s ideas really are good enough at this level.
Injuries to key players like Wesley Fofana, Reece James and Roméo Lavia have made Maresca’s job more difficult. Nevertheless, the board’s expectations are still sky-high. The monitory rewards of missing out on the Champions League — potentially losing £70 million in revenue — only increase the pressure on Maresca to turn things around fast.
Internal divide grows as replacement search begins
Behind closed doors, Chelsea’s power-brokers have been at war. While some senior executives are sympathetic to giving Maresca more time, others believe the club cannot allow the season to drift away. The board recently answered a series of questions in the wake of a home defeat in which the fans booed the players off the pitch. They are also reportedly discussing backup options in case the team’s fortunes fail to improve.
Names such as Hansi Flick, Ruben Amorim and even previous Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel have been thrown about in internal chats. No contact has been admitted to, however, and the very use of the term replacement at all says an awful lot about where things stand.
Maresca has kept a cool demeanor in his public statements. And he has pleaded with grass-roots fans to be patient, telling them it takes time to build a team that can compete. But then Chelsea isn’t a club where managers generally get time. Maresca is also under pressure to successfully incorporate summer recruits such as Marc Guiu and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall into his side, along with managing of a squad yet to gel.
Enzo Maresca has led Chelsea to a European final in his debut season as manager.
They're now just 90 minutes away from becoming the first club EVER to win the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League 😮🏆 pic.twitter.com/DkcLZSa2V1
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) May 8, 2025
It’s the next few games — including the crucial ones against Aston Villa and Brighton — that could prove to be the decider. The board likely committed to a long-term vision when it appointed Enzo Maresca, but if he fails to turn things around quickly, it may feel forced to act — regardless of the messages it sent to supporters and investors at the time.
Author’s Opinion
The situation surrounding Enzo Maresca Chelsea feels all too familiar. Another bright-looking manager arrives at Stamford Bridge, smiling and full of bold ideas, only to get the chop before he even settles in. While it is true that the club want to be playing in the fixtures at the top level, their inability to settle in a manager is a stumbling block to long term success.
Maresca is attempting to impose a structured, possession game, but Chelsea’s squad — assembled from several different eras and a few different philosophies — may not yet be ready to carry it out smoothly. Firing him now could set the enterprise back, but stewing in it would risk another aimless season.
The board faces a hard choice: Keep the vision, or return once more to where it has been. Either way, Chelsea must decide firmly — because floating in confusion has damaged them more than any manager ever has.
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