After 92 matches
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Chelsea announced on Thursday that they have parted ways with head coach Enzo Maresca, effective immediately. Prior to the official statement, reports indicated that tensions between the 45-year-old coach and the club had escalated, making a change necessary. Maresca departs just three days before Chelsea’s Premier League match against Manchester City, and the club is expected to announce his successor in the coming days.
In the club’s statement, Chelsea indicated that Maresca’s exit was essential to help get their season “back on track,” following a disappointing streak of only three wins in their last 10 matches across all competitions. During his 549 days at Stamford Bridge, Maresca managed the team in 92 games, achieving an average of 1.97 points per match. While this was an improvement over his predecessor, Mauricio Pochettino’s average of 1.78 points per game, it still lagged behind former managers Thomas Tuchel (2.08), Maurizio Sarri (2.08), and Antonio Conte (2.12).
Under Maresca, Chelsea did secure a top-four finish in the Premier League during his first season, bouncing back from a sixth-place finish under Pochettino. The club also captured the UEFA Conference League title in Maresca’s inaugural season, though they were knocked out in the fourth rounds of both the FA Cup and League Cup. Following a lackluster start to the current season, fans began to voice doubts about Maresca’s ability to restore Chelsea to their former status as contenders for the Premier League title.
