Five(5) reasons why Maresca was sacked by Chelsea at the early hours of January 1st 2026
On the first day of the new year 2026, Chelsea shocked everyone by parting ways with manager Enzo Maresca. So, what were the main reasons for the breakdown in their relationship, leading to the 46-year-old coach’s departure from Stamford Bridge?
He admitted to negotiations with Man City.
According to reliable sources, Chelsea’s leadership was “furious” about Maresca’s contact with Manchester City regarding replacing Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium. These negotiations marked the beginning of the end for the Italian manager’s career at The Blues.
According to an exclusive revelation from The Athletic journalist David Ornstein, Maresca twice proactively informed Chelsea that he was in discussions with people close to Manchester City about the possibility of taking over as the Citizens’ future head coach. Although the 45-year-old coach’s contract runs until 2029, the West London club’s management is unhappy, feeling that their manager is “looking in another direction” at a time when the team needs stability more than ever. This shows a significant lack of respect for The Blues’ leadership. Maresca was Pep Guardiola’s assistant during the season they won the treble, and the Manchester City manager recently praised his close friend as “one of the best coaches in the world.”
Arguing with the medical team.
Maresca did nothing to quell the disgruntled chatter behind the scenes at Chelsea. High-ranking figures were visibly perplexed when he described the two days leading up to the 2-0 win against Everton as the “worst 48 hours” of his entire tenure.
Maresca offered no explanation to those confused by his behavior. In fact, he didn’t do so publicly, but sources suggest it was advice from the medical team regarding the maximum amount of time players could play. Chelsea felt Maresca had ignored doctors’ advice regarding safe playing times for certain players and had allowed them to play more than prescribed. Specific concerns arose following the 1-2 defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League earlier in December.
Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez have both played much of this season while dealing with minor injuries. Maresca was also booed for using Cole Palmer for too long against Bournemouth, as the English player had just returned from injury.
Expressing dissatisfaction publicly
Maresca’s sarcastic remark about the “worst 48 hours” wasn’t the only subtle attack on the team in recent weeks. Following Bournemouth’s press conference, sources from the club confirmed the manager’s comments were simply “an emotional reaction to an emotional match.”
However, in a subsequent press conference, Maresca attempted to clarify that what he said “was not a momentary emotional reaction” and that it was something that had been carefully considered beforehand. Maresca’s bold public expression of his dissatisfaction, instead of keeping it to himself internally, also caused considerable disappointment.
Poor performance
This is the only thing that would ultimately lead to any manager receiving a dismissal notice. If the Italian manager publicly criticized the club’s management and policies during his peak performance period, it would be difficult for the higher-ups to do anything to him.
However, a serious slump mid-season (for the second consecutive season) has forced The Blues to act. The 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, after leading 2-1, means Chelsea have lost 15 points from games where they held a lead. That’s the highest number in the Premier League this season, a statistic that highlights their current poor form.
Skip the press conference.
Perhaps the most reprehensible act, one that Chelsea insiders felt showed a lack of respect for the coaching staff and the club. Following the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth midweek, assistant coach Willy Caballero was sent out to replace Maresca to face the media.
Both the club and Caballero said at the time that the coach was ill, but now everyone agrees that this was untrue and that it was Maresca’s refusal to face the consequences of his actions. This was “cowardice” on the part of the Italian coach. Maresca’s decision to “push a teammate to take the blame” was strongly opposed by the Chelsea management, who considered it unprofessional and blamed Caballero, demanding that he “blatantly lie” to defend himself.
Caballero could temporarily manage Chelsea for their away match at the Etihad in round 20 (00:30 on January 5th) against Man City, if a replacement for Maresca is not found by then.
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