John Obi Mikel has sensationally claimed that Chelsea took ten steps backwards by sacking Enzo Maresca, suggesting the Italian had built a trophy-winning identity that was recklessly discarded.
Enzo Maresca brought about silverware at Stamford Bridge. The Italian became a cult hero by delivering the UEFA Conference League and a 3-0 victory over PSG to secure the FIFA Club World Cup.
These trophies marked Chelsea’s first silverware in three years, yet the Maresca-ball era ended abruptly on New Year’s Day. The breaking point wasn’t just a run of one win in seven games; it was a major rift with the board over medical protocols.
The hierarchy was so alarmed by his refusal to rotate injury-prone stars like Cole Palmer that they warned him and even stationed a performance director on the bench to force substitutions.
And having seen Liam Rosenior‘s time at Chelsea so far, many are regretting the decision.
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John Obi Mikel predicts a Premier League trophy for Enzo Maresca
Speaking on the Obi One podcast, John Obi Mikel is still furious about Enzo Maresca’s exit, claiming that he could have won the Premier League for Chelsea in a couple of years.
“They’ve done that with Enzo Maresca. Right now, if you’ve given Enzo Maresca with this team another couple of years, I would have seen us going somewhere in terms of winning the Premier League.
“But right now the way he stands with the changes that we’ve made, we’ve taken one step forward and now we’ve taken 10 steps backwards.”
Of course, the losing streak didn’t help Maresca’s situation, but at least Chelsea had an identity and were defensively sound for the most during his tenure.
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Marc Cucurella discussing his future
The Chelsea players make their feelings clear on Enzo Maresca
Marc Cucurell has already voiced his concerns over Enzo Maresca’s departure.
“We knew what Maresca wanted from us. Winning a title like the Club World Cup also helps, strengthens the bond, and you create great relationships during the celebrations.
“When a manager gives you that confidence and offers you a platform to fight for titles, you’d die for him.
“The moment Maresca left, it had a big impact on us. These are decisions taken by the club. If you asked me, I would not have made this decision.
“To make a change like that, the best thing is to wait until the end of the season. You would give everyone, the players and the new manager, time to get ready, have a full pre-season.”
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