As the first departure of 2026, Chelsea and Enzo Maresca have officially agreed to part ways after tensions escalated sharply over the past 24–48 hours.
On 1 Jan 2026, Chelsea Football Club and Enzo Maresca reached an agreement to "part ways" effective immediately, ending their collaboration following a significant rise in tensions over the last 24–48 hours.
Reports indicate the breaking point occurred after Chelsea’s Premier League draw with Bournemouth and Maresca’s interview, which became a point of internal controversy, further straining relations between the head coach and management, leading both parties to decide to end their joint roles.
Chelsea later issued an official statement confirming their separation from the Italian coach, noting that during his time with the club, Maresca played a key role in winning the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, achievements that will remain important milestones in the club’s recent history.
The statement also added that with four major competitions still to contend for, including the goal of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, both the club and Maresca agreed that this change would increase the team's chances of getting back on the right track.
Meanwhile, Romano revealed that this separation was not primarily due to on-field performance but resulted from structural and ideological conflicts between Maresca and Chelsea’s senior management.
Looking ahead to the new head coach position, various media outlets speculate that Chelsea may announce a new manager within the next few days, with Liam Rosier, the 41-year-old English coach of Strasbourg—under the same owner group, BlueCo—as one of the top contenders.