Enzo Maresca: Chelsea rift deepens as surprise absence explained

Robin Bairner

• 1 Jan 2026 03:41 CST
• 4 min read

News

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca sprang a surprise when he was not made available for the post-match press conference following the Blues’ disappointing 2-2 draw with Bournemouth in the Premier League.

The London club fell behind in that clash early on but goals from Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez had them in control before their lead was rapidly cancelled out by a Justin Kluivert effort on 27 minutes.

No further scoring left Chelsea to settle for a point, but also saw the pressure build on Maresca after a run of one win in seven Premier League matches.

Having at one stage been touted as potential title challengers, the Blues have seen those hopes dashed, leaving the former Leicester boss to consider his position in charge of the Stamford Bridge outfit.

Indeed, this was why the manager was not at the post-match press conference, according to Ben Jacobs, who has denied previous claims that the 45-year-old was simply ill.

Taking to social media, the transfer news expert reports: “Enzo Maresca was not sick post-Bournemouth. Understand he chose not to attend the post-match press conference because he is in the middle of making a decision as he considers his options at the club.

“Understand Maresca continues to be frustrated by aspects of the Chelsea project affecting his independence to make decisions and strategic elements don’t always align with how he wants to manage the team.

“This led to his post-Everton comments, which had been brewing for some time.

“Maresca had said publicly he loves Chelsea as a club and its fanbase and relishes the pressure of delivering results, but my understanding is he is struggling to work within certain conditions.”

What did Maresca say after Everton?

Following Chelsea’s 2-0 win against Everton, Maresca issued a stunning statement that indicated that he is not happy at Stamford Bridge.

Despite the victory, he said: “The way the players want to learn has been fantastic and this is the reason why I praise them - because with so many problems, they are doing very well after a complicated week.

“Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because many people didn't support us.”

Pressed further on the issue, he said: “Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team.”

In the meantime, Maresca has been touted as a possible candidate to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City next summer.

What issues is he struggling with?

The exact nature of the internal problems that Maresca is unhappy with are not clear, but they can be guessed at.

Chelsea owners BlueCo demand that their project is fuelled by young players who can subsequently be sold on at a profit. The Blues have not used a player aged over the age of 30 since Maresca took command in the summer of 2024, and while this is naturally ideal for developing talent, it has perhaps blunted the team’s ability to win the Premier League title.

The Italian may have been campaigning for a more experienced player to arrive in January and has not been given the green light to make such a signing.

Indeed, it has also been claimed by The Athletic that Chelsea are not planning any transfer business in this transfer window.

With Maresca’s squad struggling at this juncture, it would be little surprise if his issues with the club stemmed from this perceived lack of support.