Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has left his close circle surprised at what he said about the Blues recently, and the club are scratching their heads over it too.
Enzo Maresca faces long-term Chelsea uncertainty
While Maresca has publicly denied any interest in a return to Man City amid the concrete links, there are reports of some tension between the Italian and Stamford Bridge chiefs behind-the-scenes.
Maresca has transformed Chelsea's fortunes on the pitch since being appointed, implementing a possession-based system that's yielded impressive results across multiple competitions.
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The 44-year-old guided them to two major trophies last season, a Conference League triumph and Club World Cup win, whilst also leading them to Champions League qualification.
His work with younger players and tactical flexibility have caught eyes across the Premier League, particularly at the Etihad Stadium.
City's interest makes perfect sense given Maresca's history with the club. He served as Guardiola's assistant during their historic treble-winning campaign in 22/23 and absorbed the Catalan's methods firsthand.
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The Blues have had a sit down with his representatives.
That familiarity with City's culture and playing philosophy should give him a massive advantage over external candidates, with David Ornstein of The Athletic reporting that he is high on their wishlist.
Murmurs over Maresca's long-term future have only intensified after the former Leicester City boss' public outburst recently.
Following their victory over Everton in West London, Maresca insisted that the 48 hours leading up to that match was his worst during his time at the club — citing a lack of support.
"This is the reason why I praise the players because with so many problems, they are doing very well after a complicated week," Maresca started.
"Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst 48 hours since I joined the club because many people didn't support us. So I'm very happy for Malo in that moment that the effort from Malo and from the rest show that they are all there and they want to help this club."
When asked to elaborate, the tactician doubled down.
"Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team."
Now, The Guardian's Jacob Steinberg has shared how people behind-the-scenes reacted to Maresca's controversial statement.
Chelsea bemused by Maresca statement with close circle surprised
According to their sources, Chelsea remain completely 'bemused' after Maresca created unnecessary speculation.
His rant even caught the coach's closest circle by surprise, with sources suggesting nobody inside Stamford Bridge understands what prompted the public complaint.
Confusion reigns throughout the building as staff struggle to identify any obvious trigger for Maresca's discontent.
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What's frustrated the hierarchy most is Maresca's stubborn refusal to clarify his comments either publicly or privately. He's rejected multiple opportunities to explain what bothered him so deeply during that brief period, leaving everyone guessing about the real source of his frustration.
The lack of transparency has created an information vacuum that outsiders have filled with speculation about rifts between Maresca and Chelsea's ownership structure.
Whether that reflects reality remains unclear, given the manager won't actually explain himself.
People close to the manager share the club's confusion, with some privately questioning why he chose to air grievances without providing context. The situation has now created unnecessary tension heading into a crucial period of the season.
Maresca needs to either explain himself properly or move on from whatever bothered him, because this ambiguity helps nobody.
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