"The reigning FIFA Club World Cup champions' coach is out of a job. Enzo Maresca's 18-month tenure at Chelsea ended on New Year's Day after a dramatic, quick breakdown in his working relationship with senior figures at the Premier League club. Recriminations abound following the news -- so much so, in fact, that there is currently a legal dispute over whether Maresca resigned or if he was sacked."
"The Italian was under contract until 2029 with the option of a further year, bringing him in line with Chelsea's club-wide policy of signing staff and players for the long-term. That certainty of contract is designed to cultivate stability, as was the club's plan to review Maresca's position at the end of the 2025-26 season, his second in charge, attempting to insulate the Italian from any buffeting by short-term results."
"Maresca won the Club World Cup, the UEFA Conference League and delivered UEFA Champions League football following a fourth-place finish in his sole full Premier League campaign. He was named Premier League Manager of the Month for November. But with 2026 just a day old, the Blues are now looking for another permanent head coach -- the fifth since owners BlueCo took charge of the club in May 2022 -- following a run of one win from seven games."
Enzo Maresca's 18-month tenure at Chelsea ended on New Year's Day after a rapid breakdown in his working relationship with senior club figures. A legal dispute is underway over whether Maresca resigned or was sacked, and Chelsea used the phrase "parted company" while lawyers determine any payoff. Maresca was contracted until 2029 with an optional extra year under a club policy of long-term deals and a planned review at the end of the 2025-26 season. Maresca won the Club World Cup and UEFA Conference League, secured Champions League qualification, but Chelsea have won once in seven games and sit fifth, prompting a search for a new permanent head coach.
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