Chelsea Set To Part Ways With Maresca?

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca could leave his post before Sunday’s match against Manchester City, with relations between the Italian and the club’s hierarchy having deteriorated.

The Blues have won just once in their past seven Premier League matches 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.

There were reports of a board meeting on New Year’s Day to address the situation.

Though they have fallen off the pace in the league, Chelsea have reached the Carabao Cup semi-finals, are preparing to restart their Champions League campaign and will face Charlton in the FA Cup third round.

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.

Just one league win followed in December but it is not just results which added to the focus on Maresca, with issures emerging between the Italian and the club’s hierarchy.

Maresca stunned key figures at the club, 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.

Despite 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 to pick certain players, and a lack of protection from the club about the quality of his work.

All of which has made for an unsettling situation, with Chelsea, whose players will return to work today, closer in points to 15th place than third in the Premier League.

They next face Manchester City to start a difficult month that also includes games against Arsenal and Napoli.

And it is possible, before that potentially definining period, that Maresca will not be in charge.

Chelsea‘s primary goal this season is to qualify for the Champions League, which remains realistic, while also aiming for domestic cup runs.