Chelsea players are reacting publicly after Enzo Maresca left Stamford Bridge on Thursday, despite recent trophies and Champions League qualification. Marc Cucurella and several team-mates shared messages
of appreciation for the Italian coach, whose tenure ended after a poor league run and reported tension with the club hierarchy.
Maresca departed even though Chelsea lifted both the Club World Cup and the Conference League last season, and also secured a Champions League place. The coach becomes the first manager in Premier League history to leave a club on New Year’s Day, with reports pointing to a breakdown in relations with senior decision-makers.
Across 57 Premier League fixtures, Maresca guided Chelsea to 28 victories, along with 15 draws and 14 defeats. During that spell, the team scored 96 league goals and posted a win rate of 49.1%. However, Chelsea recently managed only one win in seven league games, a sequence that heavily influenced the decision.
The final match of Maresca’s reign came in a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, where Chelsea again failed to protect a lead. In the 2025-26 league campaign, the side have already lost 15 points from winning positions, more than any other Premier League club so far, underlining a recurring problem in game management.
Signs of strain had appeared weeks earlier. Before a 2-0 victory over Everton on 13 December, Maresca described the build-up as "the worst 48 hours" since arriving at Chelsea. In the weeks that followed, Maresca still stated that he would "absolutely be the Chelsea boss next season", a statement that ultimately did not come to pass.
Cucurella, who featured more than any other player under Maresca at Chelsea with 78 appearances in all competitions, shared a detailed farewell message. The defender highlighted the trust shown from the first day and the positive experiences created during their time working together at the club.
Thank you for everything, mister, and to your staff. For the work and the trust from day one, and for the memories, Cucurella posted to Instagram. Wishing you all the best in what comes next. Good luck, boss!
Chelsea Maresca tributes from Sanchez and Colwill
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez joined Cucurella in recognising Maresca’s influence at Chelsea, naming several backroom staff in a farewell message. Sanchez focused on the trust given by the coaching group and the shared experiences across competitions, stressing how those moments will remain important memories from this period of the project.
Thank you for everything, Enzo, Mickey, Willy, Dani, Marcos and Robi. Very grateful for the trust and the memories we shared. Those will live with me forever. Wishing you all the best for the future, will miss you all.
Defender Levi Colwill, currently sidelined with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, also offered appreciation for Maresca’s time at Chelsea. Colwill emphasised both the coaching ability and personality of the departing manager, highlighting the relationship built before injury halted the defender’s involvement this season.
Not just a top manager but a top person. Thank you for everything. It was a pleasure to work with you and create great memories, Colwill added.
Chelsea Maresca replacement candidates and future direction
Attention within Chelsea now shifts towards identifying Maresca’s successor while stabilising performances in the league. Reports indicate that Liam Rosenior, currently in charge of Strasbourg, is viewed as the leading candidate to take over. The club must now balance the search process with efforts to protect their Champions League position.
Maresca’s spell at Chelsea brought silverware, consistent European qualification and notable development for several players, yet also periods of tension and late-season struggles. The combination of strong cup results, league inconsistency and behind-the-scenes issues shaped a tenure that ended earlier than Maresca had publicly anticipated.
