Less than six months after guiding Chelsea to Club World Cup success, Enzo Maresca has left his post as head coach.
The Blues won just one of their final seven Premier League matches under Maresca and sit fifth in the table – 15 points adrift of leaders Arsenal.
After their most recent game – a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on 30 December – assistant manager Willy Caballero said Maresca felt too unwell to speak to the media, but it is understood his absence was more due to him considering his next steps.
Two days on, Maresca has gone. But how did things unravel?
From stability to trouble
At the end of November, Chelsea appeared in a harmonious place, with the team third in the Premier League and having recently dismantled Barcelona in the Champions League.
On 12 December, Maresca was named Premier League manager of the month for November.
Just one league win followed in December but it was not only results that added to the focus on Maresca, with fissures emerging between the Italian and the club’s hierarchy.
Maresca stunned key figures at Stamford Bridge – and even his own staff – when, after beating Everton 2-0 for Chelsea‘s solitary Premier League win in December, he said “many people” had made it his “worst 48 hours” since joining the club.
Those comments came from a position of strength after a good performance but were viewed dimly by the club hierarchy, at whom they appeared to be aimed.
They have since been explained as being linked to medical recommendations. Maresca felt the club were telling him who to pick, and that crossed a red line. But the staff were trying to limit injured players’ minutes through standard protocols, which senior figures inside the club said were ignored and either risked players getting injured again – or prevented them from training because of overload.
Even after that, the plan remained to conduct an end-of-season review to decide whether to move forward with Maresca or part company.
Those with knowledge of Maresca’s views, though, said he was capable of walking away having grown unhappy at a multitude of factors, including encouragement over which players should start and which substitutions should be made during matches.
He also felt a lack of protection from the club over the quality of his work.
And on Thursday came news that was not unexpected, with Chelsea confirming the two parties had gone their separate ways.
The Blues’ players will return to work on Friday closer in points to 15th place than third in the Premier League as they prepare for a defining period.
They face Manchester City on Sunday to start a difficult month that also includes games against Arsenal and Napoli.
Chelsea‘s primary goal this season is to qualify for the Champions League, which remains realistic, while also aiming for domestic cup runs.
