Maresca plays dangerous game as confusion reigns after his Chelsea grenade

"He has stumbled into a fight he cannot win. It did not go down well with Chelsea when Maresca lobbed a grenade into the mix by talking about not being supported enough after last Saturday's humdrum win against Everton and it is hard not to read his refusal to defuse the situation since then as the stance of a man daring his bosses to act."

"Rumours of Manchester City identifying Maresca as a potential replacement for Pep Guardiola next summer were deliciously timed. It has been noted that Maresca's new agent, Jorge Mendes, is close to Hugo Viana, City's sporting director. There is speculation that the links with City have emboldened Maresca and form an attempt to gain more power at Chelsea, who have built a structure that leaves no room for a manager to call the shots."

"Maresca did not back down when he addressed reporters on Friday morning. He downplayed the links with City, where he was assistant to Guardiola during the 2022-23 season, but said it was important to understand the reason why this news had surfaced. Was he hinting at a leak? This is a PR battle now. Maresca is currying favour with Chelsea fans. The 45-year-old tapped the badge on his chest when the travelling support sang his name after their side's Carabao Cup quarter-final win"

Enzo Maresca publicly complained about not being supported and said the 48 hours before the Everton game were his worst since joining Chelsea. He has declined to explain the source of his discontent, prompting confusion and speculation that his issues are with the club's hierarchy. Rumours link Maresca to Manchester City and note his new agent Jorge Mendes's connections to City's sporting director, Hugo Viana. The perceived City links are seen as an attempt to gain power within Chelsea's structure, which limits managerial authority. Maresca downplayed the City rumours but suggested a reason for their emergence and courted supporters after a Carabao Cup win.

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