Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella has questioned the Blues' decision to sack Enzo Maresca midway through the season on January 1. Cucurella admitted that this decision negatively impacted the players, claiming that the club should have waited until the summer to take such a drastic step.
Maresca replaced Mauricio Pochettino as Chelsea manager in June 2024. The Italian appeared settled at Stamford Bridge, winning the 2024-25 UEFA Conference League and 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. He also won 55 games out of his 92 in charge across all competitions (59.78 win percentage), ensuring they returned to the UEFA Champions League.
However, after 18 months in charge, Enzo Maresca parted ways with the Blues. This was reportedly due to disagreements with senior figures at the club and the medical staff, as well as a recent poor run of form.
During an interview with The Athletic, Cucurella said (via CFC Daily):
Chelsea appointed former Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior as Maresca's replacement. However, the former has struggled in recent weeks, with the Blues losing their last four games in a row across all competitions.
"We paid the price" - Marc Cucurella provides verdict on Chelsea's 8-2 loss to PSG
From the aforementioned interview, Marc Cucurella reckons that a lack of experience and cool heads resulted in Chelsea losing 5-2 to PSG in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 (March 11). The Blues went on to lose 3-0 in the second leg at Stamford Bridge, resulting in their exit, as they lost 8-2 on aggregate.
The Blues were losing the first leg 3-2 in the 74th minute. The visitors had the option of taking fewer risks and bouncing back in the second leg with a one-goal deficit. However, they opted to go all-out for a third goal, resulting in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scoring a late double to make it 5-2.
Cucurella lamented his side's decision-making, stating (via CFC Daily):
“We lacked experience. For a lot of players, it was the first time playing a match of that calibre, and we paid the price. You can always make a mistake, but we should have handled it better. There was a return game to play, and if you keep a cool head, you go back to London with a 3-2 defeat & anything can happen.”
Chelsea will aim to bounce back in their next fixture against Port Vale in the FA Cup quarter-finals (April 4).